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MICHAEL  C.  MURPHY. 


ATHLETIC  TRAINING 


BY 


MICHAEL  C.  MURPHY       r'Jl'^ 


..UJ 


EDITED  BY 

EDWARD    R.  BUSHNELL  ,  F  / 

If" 

WITH     AN     INTRODITCTION     BY 


R.   TAIT    McKENZIE 


PROFESSOB    OF    PHYSICAL   EDUCATION,    UNIVERSITY 
OF   PENNSYLVANIA 


ILLUSTRATED 


NEW  YORK 

CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 

1914 


& 


^3 


4\ 


,t^« 


Copyright,  1914,  bt 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 


Published  February.  1914 


0-- 


PREFACE 

The  following  pages  constitute  the  legacy 
which  Michael  C.  Murphy  has  left  to  the 
boys  and  young  men  of  America,  and,  indeed, 
to  the  whole  athletic  world.  They  contain 
the  results  of  thirty  years  spent  in  the  develop- 
ment of  track  and  field  athletics  as  a  science. 
Because  of  his  wonderful  success  in  turning  out 
intercollegiate,  Olympic,  and  world's  cham- 
pions, he  was  always  recognized,  even  by  his 
rival  coaches,  as  the  dean^of  his  profession. 
He  entered  the  profession  at  a  time  when  the 
training  of  athletes  was  not  recognized  as  a 
science,  but  he  devoted  to  it  a  keen  under- 
standing of  human  nature  and  a  rare  genius 
for  discovering  new  and  improving  old  meth- 
ods of  promoting  athletic  eflficiency.  At  the 
time  of  his  death,  on  June  5,  1913,  he  was 
rightfully  credited,  both  in  this  country  and 
in  Europe,  with  having  made  the  most  im- 
portant contribution  to  a  science  which  has 

V 

282205 


vi  PREFACE 

produced  a  cleaner,  sturdier,  and  more  intel- 
ligent manhood  wherever  amateur  athletics 
have  been  fostered. 

Mr.  Murphy  began  the  preparation  of  this 
text  shortly  after  his  return  from  the  London 
Olympiad  in  1908.  He  wanted  this  to  be 
the  most  comprehensive  book  for  the  guid- 
ance of  athletes,  and  to  include  all  the 
information  he  had  obtained  in  the  course 
of  his  career  as  an  athlete,  coach,  and  ob- 
server. He  wanted  it  to  be  of  lasting  benefit 
to  the  boys  and  young  men  of  his  native 
land,  and  to  that  end  he  worked  as  indus- 
triously on  the  manuscript  as  his  failing 
health  would  permit,  rewriting  and  revising 
it  from  time  to  time.  The  manuscript  was 
finally  completed  in  the  early  spring  of  1913, 
during  his  last  illness.  Fearing  that  he  might 
never  live  to  see  the  book  published,  he  fin- 
ished the  dictation  from  his  sick-bed,  and  the 
editor  has  completed  the  revision  of  the  text 
in  accordance  with  his  suggestions  made  from 
time  to  time  during  the  last  four  years. 

Mr.  Murphy  drifted  into  athletics  before 
he  was  twenty  years  of  age.  He  was  a 
sprinter,   and    a    good    one,   but   in   athletic 


PREFACE  vii 

the  development  of  this  country  was  then  in  its 
infancy.  Mr.  Murphy  diverted  his  attention 
from  his  own  athletics  to  the  study  of  how  to 
make  champion  athletes  of  his  fellows,  and  to 
them  he  imparted  the  results  of  his  own  ex- 
periments and  observations.  He  once  de- 
scribed this  to  the  writer  in  the  following 
words: 

"When  I  was  a  sprinter  every  fellow  trained 
himself.  Being  of  an  observant  disposition, 
I  tried  to  learn  all  I  could  from  watching 
others.  I  tried  to  avoid  their  mistakes  and 
to  profit  by  the  good  features  of  their  train- 
ing. Then  I  began  to  make  an  independent 
study  of  all  forms  of  track  and  field  athletics. 
I  wanted  to  know  what  kind  of  food  was  best 
for  the  athlete,  how  much  work  he  should  do 
to  get  the  maximum  speed  if  he  were  a  runner, 
and  how  to  add  a  few  inches  to  his  jumps  or 
weight  throwing.  As  a  result  of  these  experi- 
ments, which  I  made  upon  myself  and  the 
athletes  I  trained,  I  found  what  I  considered 
the  best  diet  for  an  athlete,  the  principles  of 
massaging  the  muscles,  bathing,  and,  in  fact, 
the  whole  scheme  of  fitting  a  man  for  a  par- 
ticular competition.     After  twenty-five  years' 


viii  PREFACE 

experience  as  coach  a  man  is  bound  to  have 
handled  a  great  many  athletes.  My  present 
system  of  training  boys  and  young  men  is 
the  result  of  what  I  learned  in  this  way  dur- 
ing my  lifetime/' 

The  foregoing  statement  admirably  ex- 
plains Mr.  Murphy's  method  of  work.  He 
made  the  most  exhaustive  study  of  every 
event  on  the  track  and  field  programme. 
Being  gifted  with  a  rare  understanding  of 
human  nature,  he  had  a  wonderful  influence 
over  every  boy  he  trained.  He  was  constantly 
on  the  outlook  to  discover  some  new  method 
or  device  which  would  add  to  the  skill  of  the 
human  body. 

This  relentless  search  for  knowledge  led 
him  to  take  a  two-years  course  in  medicine 
and  surgery  at  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania when  he  trained  the  athletes  of  that 
institution.  IVJore  than  Mne  physician  has 
testified  to  the  fact  that  Mr.  Murphy  knew-^ 
the  human  body,  its  possibilities  and  needs, 
as  well  as  they  themselves.  Although  his 
knowledge  ranged  from  track  athletics  to  all 
kinds  of  sports,  including  football  and  base- 
ball, his  best  efforts  were  shown  in  the  de- 


PBEFACE  k 

velopment  of  sprinters,  hurdlers,  and  jumpers. 
In  all  of  these  events  hi^Jd^a^j^ere  ye^^^^ 
ahead  of  his  rivals,  and  they  put  America 
correspondingly  ahead  of  other  nations.  That 
he  was  particularly  skilful  with  sprinters 
was  best  illustrated  by  his  discovery  of  the 
crouching  start,  which  was  only  one  example 
of  his  inventiveness.  He  had  experimented 
with  it  on  himself  several  years  before  he 
taught  it  to  Sherrill,  of  Yale,  who  first  used 
it  in  an  intercollegiate  meet.  This  discovery 
was  due  to  Mr.  Murphy's  persistent  search 
for  some  method  to  reduce,  by  even  the  frac- 
tion of  a  second,  a  sprinter's  time  for  100 
yards.  This  persistent  search  for  new  meth- 
ods was  largely  responsible  also  for  the  de- 
velopment of  John  Owen,  the  first  man  who 
ever  ran  100  yards  in  9|  seconds ;  Henry  Jewett, 
of  Detroit;  B.  J.  Wefers,  of  the  New  York 
Athletic  Club,  the  first  man  to  run  220  yards 
in  21i  seconds;  and,  finally,  of  Donald  F. 
Lippincott,  who  at  Stockholm,  in  1912,  es- 
tablished the  present  world's  record  of  lOf 
seconds  for  100  metres. 

What  he  did  with  the  sprints  he  duplicated 
in  nearly  every  event  on   the  athletic  pro- 


X  PREFACE 

gramme,  and  he  was  responsible  for  the  devel- 
opment of  more  world's  champions  than  all 
other  American  trainers  combined.  It  was  the 
reputation  Mr.  Murphy  made  locally  by  put- 
ting his  new  ideas  into  practice  that  led 
Yale  to  engage  him  as  track  and  field  coach 
in  1887.  He  instantly  made  Yale  athletes 
famous,  although  for  the  next  six  years  he 
divided  his  time  between  that  university  and 
the  Detroit  Athletic  Club.  In  Detroit  he 
developed  the  wonderful  Jewett  and  Owen. 
His  best  work,  however,  was  done  as  the 
coach  of  college  teams.  Of  the  twenty-one 
teams  coached  by  him  at  Yale  and  Pennsyl- 
vania since  1893,  his  men  won  the  intercol- 
legiate championship  fifteen  times.  Seven  of 
these  victories  were  with  Yale  and  eight  with 
Pennsylvania.  Of  the  six  times  that  his 
teams  failed  to  win  they  were  second  four 
times,  third  once,  and  fourth  once. 

His  career  in  the  field  of  international  ath- 
letics was  even  more  remarkable.  In  1895, 
when  the  first  international  meet  between  the 
New  York  Athletic  Club  and  the  London 
Athletic  Club  was  held  in  this  country.  Mur- 
phy was  selected  as  trainer.  This  meet  brought 


PREFACE  xi 

out  such  wonderful  champions  as  M.  F.  Swee- 
ney, who  made  his  world's  record  of  6  feet 
5|  inches  at  this  meet;  C.  J.  Kilpatrick,  who 
made  a  record  of  1.53f  for  the  half-mile;  and 
T.  P.  Conneff,  who,  under  Murphy's  training, 
later  made  a  world's  record  of  4.15f  for  the 
mile,  which  stood  until  1911,  when  J.  P.  Jones, 
of  Cornell,  reduced  it  by  one-fifth  of  a  second. 

During  his  connection  with  the  New  York 
Athletic  Club,  where  he  coached  in  the  sum- 
mer months,  he  developed  such  world's  cham- 
pion sprinters  as  B.  J.  Wefers,  the  first  col- 
lege man  who  ever  ran  100  yards  in  9f  seconds, 
and  the  first  to  make  the  present  world's  rec- 
ord of  21^  seconds  for  220  yards.  He  also 
trained  M.  W.  Long,  who  still  holds  the  world's 
record  of  47  seconds  for  440  yards.  Indeed, 
there  is  hardly  an  event  on  the  athletic  pro- 
gramme in  which  Murphy  did  not  develop 
champions.  In  1900  he  took  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania  and  the  New  York  Athletic 
Club  teams  to  the  Olympic  games  at  Paris. 
In  these  games,  in  which  America  completely 
outscored  the  field,  the  athletes  trained  by 
Murphy  carried  off  nearly  all  the  honors. 

It  was  not  until  1908  that  the  United  States 


xii  PREFACE 

was  represented  at  the  Olympic  games  by  a 
single  team  which  could  be  accepted  as  the 
pick  of  this  country.  That  year,  for  the  first 
time,  the  American  Olympic  Committee  held 
a  series  of  try-outs  in  three  sections  of  the 
country,  and  with  these  performances  as  a 
guide  selected  a  team  of  more  than  one  hun- 
dred athletes.  All  the  men  thus  selected  were 
taken  to  London  under  the  direction  of  the 
American  committee;  but  the  selection  of 
the  team  was  only  part  of  their  task.  There 
still  remained  the  bigger  job  of  conditioning 
all  these  men,  a  task  the  difficulty  of  which 
was  greatly  increased  by  the  sea  voyage  and 
the  change  to  another  climate.  For  this  the 
American  committee  unanimously  selected 
Mr.  Murphy.  What  they  thought  of  him 
was  illustrated  by  the  remark  of  James  E. 
Sullivan,  the  American  commissioner,  when, 
at  the  conclusion  of  the  conference,  he  was 
asked  who  nominated  Murphy  and  if  any  one 
else  had  been  considered. 

"When  we  came  to  select  the  coach,''  said 
Mr.  Sullivan,  ''Murphy's  name  was  on  every 
one's  tongue.  We  didn't  even  think  of  any 
one  else." 


PREFACE  xiii 

Murphy  was  selected  for  this  position  for  a 
number  of  reasons,  but  primarily  because  he 
was  the  faremost  ajiikQri  on  all. 

kinds  of  athletic  training.  In  addition  to  this 
skill  he  had  a  most  unusual  knowledge  of  hu- 
man nature.  Every  one  knows  that  in  a  team 
of  one  hundred  champion  athletes  there  are 
more  curious  dispositions  collected  than  could 
be  found  in  any  body  of  men  of  equal  size. 
To  command  the  respect  of  so  many  athletes, 
many  of  whom  had  worked  with  other  train- 
ers, to  keep  them  all  in  good  humor,  and 
to  have  the  maximum  number  on  edge  for 
their  particular  events  required  a  genius. 
Murphy  was  equal  to  the  task.  What  he 
accomplished  at  London  in  1908  is  now  his- 
tory, but  in  every  particular  he  more  than 
made  good. 

When  the  American  Olympic  Committee 
set  about  the  selection  of  a  coach  for  the  1912 
team  Mr.  Murphy  was  a  sick  man,  but  the 
committee  unanimously  chose  him  for  the 
position  again.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  pres- 
sure brought  to  bear  upon  him  and  the  hope 
that  the  trip  would  benefit  his  health,  he 
would  have  declined  the  position.     He  under- 


xiv  PREFACE 

took  his  work  suffering  from  ill  health,  but 
stuck  to  it  doggedly  to  the  end,  and  his  genius 
for  conditioning  men,  and  for  communicating 
to  them  his  own  indomitable  spirit,  resulted 
in  a  record  even  better  than  that  made  in  1908. 
When  the  Olympic  Committee  met  in  1913  to 
plan  for  the  1916  Olympiad  it  sent  a  tele- 
gram to  the  veteran  trainer,  then  in  his  last 
illness,  acquainting  him  with  their  action  in 
unanimously  appointing  him  to  coach  the 
1916  team. 

He  will  do  no  more  coaching  in  person;  but 
this  book,  which  contains  the  fundamental 
principles  of  correct  training  for  every  ath- 
letic event,  and  for  the  building  up  of  strong 
bodies,  will  help  thousands  of  boys  and  young 
men  who  never  came  in  touch  with  his  mag- 
netic personality. 

The  editor  wishes  to  acknowledge  his  in- 
debtedness to  Dr.  R.  Tait  McKenzie,  head  of 
the  Department  of  Physical  Education  at  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania,  and  to  Mr.  M.  F. 
Sweeney,  Director  of  Athletics  at  The  Hill 
School,  for  their  assistance  in  the  final  read- 
ing of  the  proof  for  the  elimination  of  any 
technical  errors  which  might  have  crept  into 


PREFACE  XV 

the  text,  due  to  the  inability  of  Mr.  Murphy 
to  personally  read  the  text  after  it  had  been 
set  up  in  type. 

Edward  R.  Bushnell. 

November,  1913. 


AUTHOR'S  INTRODUCTION 

For  thirty  years  I  have  been  intimately 
associated  with  the  development  of  track  and 
field  athletics  in  the  United  States.  Most  of 
that  time  has  been  devoted  to  training  ath- 
letes at  Yale  and  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, varied  with  a  few  years  and  several 
summer  seasons  spent  in  occupying  similar 
positions  with  athletic  clubs.  During  my 
connection  with  athletics,  first  as  a  sprinter 
and  then  as  a  coach,  tremendous  changes 
have  taken  place  in  these  sports.  The  system 
I  have  taught  has  been  developed  by  the 
experiments  I  have  made  upon  myself,  the 
experiences  of  the  athletes  I  have  trained, 
my  observation  of  athletics  in  various  Eu- 
ropean countries,  and  the  results  achieved 
by  my  associates  in  this  country.  It  was 
in  the  hope  that  the  science  of  athletics, 
which  has  grown  up  during  my  lifetime, 
might  be  of  some  help  to  the  youth  of  this 

xvii 


xviii  AUTHOR'S  INTRODUCTION 

and  other  countries  that  I  began,  four  years 
ago,  the  preparation  of  this  text.  No  man 
knows  all  there  is  to  know  about  any  given 
subject,  and  I  freely  acknowledge  my  indebt- 
edness to  many  of  the  athletes  whom  I  have 
trained  and  to  my  associates  in  this  work 
both  here  and  abroad. 

I  believe  with  all  my  soul  in  the  great  value 
of  athletics  in  the  life  of  the  individual  and 
the  nation.  I  believe  that  every  boy  and 
every  girl  have  a  right  to  a  good  constitution. 
If  they  have  not  been  blessed  with  such  by 
birth,  then  I  contend  that  it  is  the  duty  of 
the  state,  as  a  part  of  its  educational  system, 
to  give  these  children  facilities  for  acquiring 
strong  bodies.  This  is  a  doctrine  I  have 
preached  incessantly  for  years,  and  I  rejoice  to 
see  that  our  colleges  and  our  public  and  pri- 
vate schools  are  furnishing  just  these  facilities. 
I  never  did  believe  in  athletics  except  as  they 
promoted  good  health  and  physical  eflSciency. 
This  is  the  one  truth  I  have  always  empha- 
sized— that  all  the  athletic  glory  ever  won  is 
not  worth  a  month's  ill  health. 

I  could  write  a  volume  on  the  value  of 
athletics  to  the  individual — the  moral   and 


AUTHOR'S   INTRODUCTION  xix 

physical  good  it  does — ^but  these  are  lessons 
which  the  American  people  have  already- 
learned .  My  purpose  in  writing  this  book  is 
to  supply  a  text-book  for  the  guidance  of  the 
boys  and  young  men  of  this  country  who 
wish  to  achieve  health  and  success  in  ath- 
letics. 

This  book  was  written  primarily  for  the 
benefit  of  those  who  have  not  the  advantage 
of  professional  coaches.  Not  many  schools  and 
small  colleges  are  able  to  employ  competent 
coaches,  while  the  vast  majority  of  the  boys 
and  young  men  who  compose  the  member- 
ship of  the  hundreds  of  athletic  clubs  which  are 
being  formed  everywhere  are  totally  without 
the  right  kind  of  instruction.  In  this  book  I 
have  devoted  proportionate  attention  to  all 
the  events  which  are  on  the  Olympic,  colle- 
giate, and  club  programmes.  They  have  been 
so  arranged  that  any  boy  or  young  man  who 
makes  a  careful  study  of  the  event  in  which 
he  wishes  to  excel  can  master  it  without  the 
aid  of  a  coach.  No  two  boys  are  alike,  and 
so  my  readers  must  use  common  sense  in  ap- 
plying these  lessons. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  in  discussing  nearly 


XX  AUTHOR'S  INTRODUCTION 

every  event  I  am  assuming  that  the  athlete  will 
have  from  eight  to  ten  weeks  in  which  to  train. 
For  instance,  if  the  athlete  be  a  schoolboy  he 
will  find  it  possible  to  prepare  for  any  given 
event  in  this  time.  Severe  training  for  a 
longer  time  than  this  is  likely  to  result  in 
failure.  No  person  should  train  severely  for 
a  longer  period  than  this.  It  will  frequently 
happen  that  an  athlete  desires  to  keep  in 
training  for  various  meets  during  the  greater 
part  of  a  year.  While  I  should  strongly  cau- 
tion him  to  be  careful  not  to  overdo_it,  he 
will  find  that  after  he  has  once  gotten  into 
good  physical  condition  he  will  be  able  to 
enjoy  periods  of  rest  from  training  and  com- 
petition, and  then  be  able  to  get  himself  back 
into  good  physical  condition  in  half  the  time 
usually  required. 

The  average  boy  likes  to  be  athletic.  He 
wants  to  have  a  strong,  well-developed  body, 
and  to  excel  in  some  particular  sport,  whether 
it  be  baseball,  football,  or  track  athletics. 
But  on  account  of  the  great  interest  in  ath- 
letics throughout  this  country,  and  the  wide 
publicity  which  is  given  to  all  kinds  of  ath- 
letic performances,  there  is  always  the  dan- 


AUTHOR'S   INTRODUCTION  xxi 

ger  that  young  boys  especially  will  have  a 
tendency  to  overdo  things,  to  overtax  their 
strength.  I  have  continually  been  asked  by 
parents  and  teachers  in  the  lower  grades  just 
how  much  and  how  severe  athletic  competi- 
tion they  should  allow  a  growing  boy.  This 
is  not  an  easy  question  to  answer.  The  ideal 
way  for  boys  under  sixteen  years  of  age  is 
to  ''play  at  athletics/'  and  I  have  never  en- 
couraged boys  under  this  age  to  train  for  any 
athletic  competition  as  one  generally  under- 
stands training.  I  do  not  mean  that  a  boy 
under  sixteen  years  of  age  should  not  compete 
in  track  and  field  events.  Such  competition 
will  do  him  no  harm,  if  he  is  careful  not  to 
run  too  great  a  distance  or  engage  in  other 
competition  of  a  severe  nature.  A  boy  twelve 
years  old  or  less  should  not  be  allowed  to 
run  more  than  220  yards,  and  that  not  very 
often.  A  boy  fourteen  or  fifteen  years  of  age 
may  run  a  quarter  of  a  mile  on  a  cinder  track, 
or  he  may  run  twice  this  distance  on  turf.  I 
say  this,  not  to  discourage  boys  from  being 
athletic,  but  that  their  parents  and  teachers 
may  be  sensible  in  controlling  their  athletics 
so  that  they  will  run   no   risks   of  injuring 


xxii  AUTHOR'S   INTRODUCTION 

themselves.  After  a  boy  is  sixteen  years  old 
he  will  know  what  he  is  capable  of  doing, 
though  even  here  one  must  be  always  on 
guard  against  the  tendency  to  train  too  hard. 
Not  only  will  such  a  policy  insure  better 
health,  but  it  will  insure  a  greater  measure  of 
success  in  competitive  athletics.  It  has  been 
my  experience  that  of  the  men  I  have  trained 
the  great  majority  of  those  who  became  inter- 
collegiate, Olympic,  and  world's  champions 
were  those  who  began  their  serious  train- 
ing for  athletic  competition  at  about  the 
eighteenth  year..  Practically  all  the  men  who 
suffer  breakdowns  have  only  their  early_ath- 
letic  excesses  to  blame.  Therefore,  while  I 
strongly  favor  all  kinds  of  athletic  sports  for 
boys  from  ten  to  sixteen  years  of  age,  I  want 
to  caution  them  that  this  is  the  most  impor- 
tant period  in  their  attainment  of  physical 
strength  and  that  health  and  a  good  physique 
are  essential  to  their  later  athletic  successes. 
The  exercise  of  care  and  common  sense  during 
this  period  of  their  life  will  bring  its  own  re- 
ward in  after  life. 

M.  C.  Murphy. 

May,  1913. 


INTRODUCTION 

The  editor's  request  for  a  word  of  intro- 
duction to  this  book  gives  me  an  occasion  of 
which  I  gladly  avail  myself  to  put  in  words 
my  appreciation  of  the  wide  influence  for 
good  of  one  the  crowning  years  of  whose 
career  I  have  had  unusual  opportunities  of 
observing. 

I  have  frequently  been  asked  to  account 
for  the  great  success  of  the  American  teams 
in  the  world-wide  competition  of  the  modern 
revival  of  the  Olympic  games.  After  speak- 
ing of  the  great  public-school  athletic  leagues, 
with  their  thousands  of  schoolboy  athletes, 
the  supervised  playgrounds  dotted  over  every 
large  city,  and  the  schools  and  colleges,  each 
with  its  department  of  physical  education  ap- 
plying more  or  less  closely  to  the  entire  student 
body,  I  must  finally  conclude  that  that  suc- 
cess is  due  to  the  appreciation  and  the  study 
of  running,  jumping,  and  throwing  weights  as 

sadii 


xxiv  mXRODUCTION 

arts — arts  of  which  the  author  of  this  book 
was  a  close  student  and  a  past  master.  No 
school  or  college  in  the  United  States  of  Amer- 
ica is  now  considered  complete  without  its 
gymnasium,  playgrounds,  and  instruction  in 
physical  exercise.  Practical  knowledge  of 
track  and  field  athletics  is  within  the  reach  of 
all,  and  the  very  publicity  of  the  great  ath- 
letic games  draws  to  physical  exercise  the  at- 
tention of  those  who  would  otherwise  be  too 
dull  or  too  preoccupied  to  see  its  value. 

Athletic  sports  have  a  peculiar  value  to 
the  young.  They  are  what  remain  of  the 
natural  and  instinctive  movements  of  self- 
preservation  by  fighting  or  flight  that  have 
been  made  part  of  our  nature  by  constant 
practice  from  prehistoric  times.  The  sur- 
vival of  the  cave  man  was  determined  by  his 
ability  to  run  fast,  to  leap  far,  and  to  throw 
straight,  and  we  are  apt  to  forget  the  value 
in  modern  life  of  the  quick  eye,  the  steady 
nerve,  and  the  firm  hand.  By  them  the  other- 
wise inevitable  collision  is  avoided.  Every 
man  of  forty  can  recall  hundreds  of  experi- 
ences of  his  own  in  which  a  sprain,  a  fracture, 
or  even  death  itself  has  been  averted  by  pres- 


INTRODUCTION  xxv 

ence  of  mind  and  a  quick,  accurate  move- 
ment. 

Athletics  are  the  best  possible  training  for 
these  qualities,  valuable  to-day  as  they  ever 
were.  Their  practice  on  the  outdoor  track 
and  field  give  them  an  overwhelming  advan- 
tage over  exercise  taken  indoors,  and  the 
rules  and  ethics  of  competition  present  a  con- 
stant opportunity  to  fill  the  receptive  mind 
of  the  boy  with  consideration  for  a  fallen  op- 
ponent, to  impress  him  with  the  disgrace  of 
whining  under  defeat,  to  give  him  that  frank 
and  modest  acceptance  of  victory  or  defeat 
characteristic  of  the  true  sportsman  who  loves 
the  game  above  the  prize  and  the  generous 
rivalry  of  the  contest  rather  than  victory 
alone. 

The  athletic  field  has  been  a  great  training- 
ground  for  youthful  manners  and  morals  be- 
cause their  sports  so  vitally  interest  the  boys 
who  haunt  it.  The  athletic  trainer  is  one  of 
the  few  teachers  to  whom  the  instinct  for 
hero-worship  turns,  and  his  influence  for 
either  good  or  evil  can  scarcely  be  exagger- 
ated. He  is  the  man  who  sets  the  standard 
and  gives  to  boys  their  ideals  of  fair  play  and 


xxvi  INTRODUCTION 

sportsmanlike  conduct  that  will  be  carried 
later  into  business,  professional,  and  political 
life.  His  responsibilities  are  great  and  his 
personality  should  be  above  reproach,  and 
the  parents  and  educationalists  should  keep 
this  in  mind  when  they  select  those  in  whose 
care  their  boys  are  placed. 

The  national  conscience  is  but  the  sum  of 
that  of  its  citizens,  and  from  the  value  of  ath- 
letics to  a  nation  it  is  but  a  step  to  their 
international  importance.  The  place  of  the 
great  Greek  athletic  festivals  in  promoting 
peace  throughout  the  ancient  world  has  been 
the  text  on  which  the  modern  Olympic  idea 
has  been  preached,  and  in  their  short  history 
organized  track  and  field  athletics  have  been 
introduced  and  have  become  general  in  lands 
which  have  until  recently  treated  them  with 
absolute  neglect  and  contempt.  Each  Olym- 
piad shows  a  better  understanding  of  the 
principles  of  sportsmanship  by  more  nations, 
and  the  pioneer  work  of  Baron  de  Coubertin 
and  his  associates  on  the  Olympic  Committee 
is  increasingly  evident  in  the  more  intelligent 
interest  in  sport  all  over  the  world. 

We  are  fortunate  in  having  the  technic 


INTRODUCTION  xxvii 

of  track  and  field  athletics  so  clearly  described 
in  this  book  by  one  whose  name  is  connected 
with  the  rise  and  growth  of  athletic  compe- 
tition in  America  during  the  thirty  years 
spanned  by  his  active  life.  He  saw  the 
foundation  of  the  great  American  athletic 
clubs.  He  taught  track  athletics  and  foot- 
ball at  Yale  and  at  the  University  of  Penn- 
sylvania, and  from  the  crude  beginnings  of 
thirty  years  ago  he  collected  the  traditions 
as  they  passed  from  athlete  to  athlete, 
and  devised  new  and  valuable  methods 
which  he  tested  and  proved  in  his  daily 
work. 

Michael  C.  Murphy,  or,  as  his  friends  affec- 
tionately called  him,  "Mike,"  was  a  man  of 
unusual  personality.  Hundreds  of  amateur 
athletes,  from  last  year's  college  graduate  to 
the  man  whose  hair  is  silvered,  can  recall 
stories  of  things  he  said  or  did.  Anecdotes  of 
men  like  Jewett,  Owen,  Kraenzlein,  Orton, 
Sherrill,  Shevlin,  and  Tewkesbury  he  con- 
tinually used,  to  illustrate  some  point  he 
wished  to  make  to  his  pupil.  He  was  quick 
to  recognize  athletic  ability  in  a  beginner,  and 
had  the  connoisseur's  admiration  and  apprecia- 


xxviii  INTRODUCTION 

tion  of  muscular  intelligence,  and  especially 
of  that  inherent  vitality  and  ruggedness 
which  he  so  sadly  missed  in  his  own  person. 
With  one  possessing  these  qualities  he  would 
take  infinite  pains,  counselling  and  advising, 
jollying,  bullying,  or  ridiculing  him,  as  the 
temperament  of  the  athlete  seemed  to  require, 
for  with  him  the  merely  ''good"  was  ever  the 
enemy  of  the  "best."  No  one  could  read 
character  so  well  or  apply  prescription  so 
well.  He  knew  the  value  of  sympathy. 
The  hand  laid  on  the  shoulder  of  the  discour- 
aged loser,  and  the  voice  choked  with  real 
feeling,  went  far  to  bind  to  him  every  man 
who  had  been  his  pupil  in  victory  or  defeat. 

Small  and  slight  in  body,  his  courage  was 
gigantic.  Nothing  daunted  him.  His  posi- 
tive manner  and  assumption  of  infallibility 
were  the  chief  sources  of  power  to  him.  He 
could  impart  to  others  that  invincible  cour- 
age and  dogged  determination  that  he  him- 
self used  in  his  struggle  against  a  delicate 
constitution  and  increasing  infirmities. 

He  had  a  confident  belief  in  the  value  to 
health  of  athletic  exercises,  and  if  he  was  oc- 
cupied with  the  training  and  preparation  of 


INTRODUCTION  xxix 

those  more  gifted  ones  who  bore  the  colors  of 
their  clubs,  colleges,  or  native  land  in  athletic 
competition,  he  still  realized  the  value  of  less 
strenuous  forms  of  exercise  to  those  whose 
physiques  were  cast  in  less  heroic  mould. 
At  Pennsylvania  he  adapted  himself  to  the 
scholarship  standard  required  of  athletes  and 
was  most  strenuous  in  requiring  students  un- 
der his  care  to  live  up  to  it.  During  the  last 
ten  years,  when  his  health  was  beginning  to 
fail,  his  reputation  as  a  trainer  at  Yale  and 
Pennsylvania  and  for  the  last  two  American 
Olympic  teams  reached  its  height.  When 
the  question  of  a  trainer  for  the  1916  Olym- 
pic team  was  raised,  the  committee  with  one 
voice  appointed  him,  although  his  health  was 
visibly  broken,  a  compliment  which  he  under- 
stood and  keenly  appreciated. 

The  following  pages  were  written  either  by 
his  own  hand  or  dictated  by  him  substan- 
tially as  they  stand,  and  many  of  his  former 
pupils  and  friends  will  recognize  in  them  the 
terse,  epigrammatic  style  of  the  man.  One 
cannot  give  too  much  credit  to  Mr.  Bushnell 
for  practically  forcing  him  to  put  down  his 
ideas  from  time  to  time  and  also  for  arranging 


XXX  INTRODUCTION 

and  editing  the  entire  book.  It  is  but  one 
more  example  of  the  affection  which  his  mag- 
netic personaKty  inspired. 

R.  Tait  McKenzie,  M.D., 

Professor  of  Physical  Education,  Director  of  the 
Department  of  Physical  Education^  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania, 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.    Physical  Condition 3 

II.    Diet 13 

III.  Preparing  for  Athletic  Contests  .  21 

IV.  Sprinting 30 

(1)  The  Start 32 

(2)  Getting  into  the  Stride  ...  36 

(3)  The  Final  Burst 39 

V.    Middle-Distance  Running 45 

VI.    The  Half-Mile  Run .  52 

VII.    The  One-Mile  and  Two-Mile  Runs  60 

VIII.     Cross-Country  Running 69 

IX.    The  Marathon  Run 77 

X.    Hurdling 84 

The  High  Hurdles 87 

The  Low  Hurdles 91 

XI.    Running  Broad  Jump 95 

xxxi 


xxxii  CONTENTS 

CHAPTEB  PAGB 

XII.  Running  High  Jump 101 

XIII.  The  Pole-Vault 108 

XIV.  The  Shot  Put 117 

XV.  The  Hammer  Throw 125 

XVI.  The  Discus  Throw 134 

XVII.  The  Javelin  Throw 138 

XVIII.  Relay  Racing 143 

XIX.  The  Athletic  Heart 149 

XX.  Injuries — ^Their  Prevention  and 

Treatment 160 

XXI.  Football  Injuries 165 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Michael  C.  Murphy Frontispiece 

TACING  PAGE 

Training  by  dancing 8 

A  quartet  of  great  distance  runners 18 

A  quartet  of  great  sprinters 26 

The  crouching  start 32 

A  perfect  start 34 

Getting  into  the  stride 38 

Driving  finish  of  a  sprint 42 

Finish  400-metres  run  at  Olympic  Games,  1912  ..     .  46 

Under  full  speed  and  perfect  control 54 

Start  and  finish  of  a  mile  race 62 

At  the  ends  of  the  intermediate  quarters  of  World's 

Championship  mile 66 

Cross-country  runners  climbing  a  hill 74 

Start  of  a  sensational  Marathon 80 

A  high  hurdle  race 84 

Perfect  form  for  high  hurdles 88 

xxxiii 


xxxiv  ILLUSTRATIONS 

TACIMO  PAGE 

Clearing  the  low  hurdles 92 

Getting  power  and  height  into  the  broad  jump    ...  96 

Finished  form  for  the  broad  jump 98 

Getting  the  hip  out  of  the  way 102 

Two  champion  high  jumpers 106 

The  slide  in  the  pole-vault 108 

The  arch  in  the  pole-vault •    .  114 

Starting  the  shot  put 118 

Finish  of  shot  put 122 

Starting  the  hammer  throw 128 

The  final  spin      . 132 

Hurling  the  discus 136 

Holding  the  javelin 140 

Relay  runners  touching  off 146 

Three  world's  and  one  Olympic  champion  .....  154 

A  quartet  of  champion  hurdlers     • 166 


ATHLETIC    TRAINING 


CHAPTER  I 
PHYSICAL  CONDITION 

Good  physical  condition  is  something  which 
every  person,  whether  an  athlete  or  not, 
should  seek,  and  if  the  directions  given  in 
this  chapter  and  throughout  the  book  are 
followed  they  will  greatly  improve  the  con- 
dition and  increase  the  vitality  of  every  one 
who  observes  them.  By  physical  condition^ 
I  mean  the  building  up  of  a  state  of  bodily 
strength  in  which  every  organ  is  healthy  and 
subject  to  the  control  and  direction  of  the 
mind  and  will.  This  is  a  condition  which  j 
results  from  the  gradual  development,  through, 
exercise,  of  the  entire  body.  y 

When  one  first  begins  systematic  training 
and  exercise  everything  he  does  seems  like  so 
much  hard  work,  but  persistence  will  be  re- 
warded first  with  a  glow  of  increased  strength 
and  vitality,  and  then  with  a  consciousness 


4  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

of  increased  cleverness  and  ability  in  the  par- 
ticular event  for  which  one  is  training.  Fi- 
nally, the  athlete  will  obtain  what  I  call  'Irer 
flex  physical  action/'  This  is  nothing  more 
nor  less  than  doing  in^  the  most  efficient  man- 
ner the  thing  for  which  the  athlete  has  been 
training — securing  the  maximum  result  with 
the  minimum  expenditure  of  effort.  It  means 
a  co-ordination  of  the  eye,  the  mind,  and  the 
body.  A  clever  boxer  in  action  illustrates 
what  I  mean.  Every  motion  of  his  body, 
every  step  he  takes,  and  every  blow  he  aims 
are  executed  with  the  minimum  expenditure 
of  energy,  yet  it  is  all  done  ijnconsciously. 
Some  persons  are  by  nature  clever  physically, 
but  exercise  and  training  will  give  cleverness 
to  the  awkward  man  and  make  the  clever  one 
more  skilful. 

What  I  have  said  in  the  foregoing  para- 
graphs may  sound  a  little  scientific  or  psy- 
chological, but  it  will  bear  close  study,  and 
after  the  athlete  has  followed  a  course  of 
training  in  any  of  the  events  described  in 
this  book  he  will  profit  if  he  returns  to  this 
chapter  and  studies  once  more  what  I  have 
said  about  physical  condition. 


PHYSICAL  CONDITION  6 

In  addition  to  the  technical  training,  which 
I  shall  describe  at  length  in  the  various 
chapters,  there  are  certain  requisites  of  good 
physical  condition  common  to  every  person 
who  aspires  to  become  athletic.  Of  prime 
importance,  I  should  name  cleanliness.  A 
clean,  healthy  body  is  the  first  essential  to 
becoming  a  good  athlete.  I  am,  therefore,  a 
firm  believer  in  the  health-giving  properties 
of  the  e^irly  morning  bath,  followed  by  a  vig- 
orous rub-down,  deep  breathing,  and  a  few 
simple  calls thenic  exercises.  The  best  morn- 
ing bath  is  a  shower,  but  the  majority  of  my 
readers  will  not  have  facilities  for  it.  A  tub 
bath  is  virtually  as  good,  and  if  that  is  not 
possible  either  then  practically  the  same  re- 
sults can  be  obtained  by  a  sponge  bath  with  a 
bowl. 

If  the  athlete  can  take  a  cold  bath,  so  much 
the  better,  but  if  that  has  a  bad  reaction  upon 
his  system  the  chill  should  first  be  taken  off 
the  water.  The  bather  can  tell  for  himself 
which  is  better.  If  after  the  cold  bath  he 
experiences  a  warm  glow  he  need  have  no 
fear  of  its  ill  effects,  but  if  he  is  inclined  to  be 
anaemic  and  the  bath  leaves  him  uncomfort- 


6  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

ably  chilled  he  will  do  well  to  use  warmer 
water.  A  few  experiments  will  show  him 
what  temperature  is  best.  A  cold  bath  is 
well  in  cold  weather,  but  in  the  summer  it 
should  be  taken  a  little  warmer  or  its  after 
effects  will  be  heating  instead  of  cooling.  One 
should  be  careful  not  to  remain  under  a 
shower  or  in  a  tub  too  long.  Two  minutes 
under  a  shower  is  long  enough  for  any  one, 
and  less  time  is  better.  One  should  never 
lie  too  long  in  a  bathtub  of  warm  water 
unless  the  temperature  of  the  room  is  right, 
for  there  is  nothing  more  weakening  to  the 
system. 

The  bath  should  be  followed  by  a  vigorous 
rub-down.  Many  persons  have  the  idea  that 
they  cannot  rub  themselves,  but  this  is  a 
mistake,  for  one  can  really  do  this  better  than 
another  can  do  it  for  him.  After  the  body 
has  been  dried  thoroughly  the  massage  should 
begin  with  the  feet,  and  every  part  of  the  body 
should  be  vigorously  rubbed,  at  least  five 
minutes  being  taken  for  the  operation.  The 
massage  movement  is  very  simple  and  con- 
sists merely  of  rubbing  the  hands  vigorously 
over  the  skin  with  a  circular  motion.     The 


PHYSICAL  CONDITION  7 

back  can  be  rubbed  as  well  as  the  legs  and  arms 
by  using  a  rough  towel  and  drawing  it  back 
and  forth  vigorously.  This  sort  of  a  rub- 
down  will  be  a  splendid  tonic  for  the  skin,  and 
at  its  conclusion  the  body  will  glow  from  the 
blood  flowing  to  every  part  as  nature  intended 
it  should. 

After  this  performance  the  physical  condi- 
tion will  be  greatly  benefited  by  a  few  min- 
utes spent  in  deep-breathing  exercises.  The 
breath  should  be  inhaled  slowly  until  the 
lungs  are  completely  filled.  Then  the  breath 
should  be  released  in  the  same  gradual  man- 
ner. This  may  be  repeated  for  two  or  three 
minutes,  after  which  it  may  be  followed  to 
advantage  by  some  simple  calisthenic  exer- 
cises for  the  arms,  the  back,  and  the  abdo- 
men. These  exercises  are  invaluable,  but  to 
get  their  fullest  advantage  they  should  be 
taken  in  a  room  thoroughly  aired  or  near  an 
open  window. 

All  the  exercises  I  have  explained,  includ- 
ing the  bath,  rub-down,  deep  breathing,  and 
simple  calisthenics,  can  be  finished  without 
hurrying  in  fifteen  minutes.  If  they  are 
started  early  enough  in  life  and  pursued  per- 


8  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

sistently  they  will  give  one  the  most  perfect 
protection  that  can  be  devised  against  colds 
and  illnesses  of  all  kinds.  Any  person  ought 
to  be  ashamed  to  advance  the  plea  that  he 
has  not  enough  time  to  take  these  exercises. 
If  he  is  pressed  for  time  let  him  get  up  fifteen 
minutes  ahead  of  his  usual  schedule.  That 
quarter  of  an  hour,  employed  as  I  have  sug- 
gested, will  be  worth  several  hours  employed 
in  any  other  manner,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
money  it  will  save  in  doctor's  bills. 

On  the  subject  of  calisthenic  exercises,  ath- 
letes who  are  training  for  any  of  the  track 
events  will  do  well  to  practise  an  exercise 
made  popular  by  W.  G.  George,  holder  of 
the  world's  professional  record  of  4.12%  for 
the  mile  run.  The  exercise  is  very  simple 
and  can  be  practised  in  the  bedroom.  It 
consists  in  the  athlete's  dancing  up  and  down 
on  the  toes  in  such  a  manner  as  to  bring  into 
play  the  same  muscles  that  are  used  in  run- 
ning. To  learn  the  exercise  the  athlete  should 
alternate  in  raising  each  leg  so  that  the  knee 
will  come  to  about  the  same  level  as  the  hips, 
no  higher.  The  left  hand  should  swing  for- 
ward in  harmony  with  the  raising  of  the  right 


PHYSICAL  CONDITION  9 

leg,  just  as  in  walking.  Unless  one  has  got 
into  pretty  good  physical  condition  by  con- 
siderable track  work,  this  exercise  should  be 
taken  easily  at  first  because  it  is  practical- 
ly the  same  as  running.  After  having  mas- 
tered it  the  athlete  can  practise  it  rapidly  and 
get  the  same  exercise,  in  accordance  with  the 
length  of  time  he  practises  it,  as  he  would  by 
an  actual  run  on  the  track.  This  is  an  exer- 
cise which  I  have  used  with  great  success  for 
my  track  athletes  during  the  winter  months 
when  it  was  impossible  to  run  out-of-doors. 
I  also  used  it  continually  during  both  trips 
of  the  American  Olympic  teams  to  Europe  in 
1908  and  1912.  Care  must  be  exercised  not 
to  practise  it  on  too  hard  a  floor.  It  is  par- 
ticularly valuable  for  boys  and  young  men 
who,  on  account  of  the  nature  of  their  work 
or  their  distance  from  training  quarters,  de- 
sire a  substitute  for  actual  track  work.  I 
have  known  a  good  many  athletes  who  got 
themselves  into  splendid  physical  condition 
and  thoroughly  hardened  the  muscles  of  their 
legs  and  increased  their  wind  by  these  exer- 
cises. From  three  to  five  minutes  of  this  kind 
of  work  in  the  morning  as  a  substitute  for  the 


10  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

calisthenic  work  suggested  will  accomplish 
wonderful  results. 

In  the  chapter  on  diet  I  have  explained  the 
need  of  caring  for  the  teeth. 

One  more  essential  to  bodily  health  is 
plenty  of  skep.  I  have  seen  a  great  many 
races  lost  through  failure  to  observe  the  rule 
that  every  person  needs  at  least  eight  hours' 
sleep.  Some  need  more,  particularly  growing 
boys.  If  a  person  finds  that  he  needs  eight 
or  nine  hours  of  sleep  to  maintain  good  phys- 
ical condition  he  should  insist  upon  getting 
it.  Violation  of  this  law  of  common  sense, 
through  lopping  off  one  or  two  hours  several 
nights  a  week  which  should  be  devoted  to 
sleep,  will  bring  about  its  own  punishment. 
Sleep  is  the  great  restorer  of  strength  and  the 
tonic  for  nerves,  and  the  body  should  be  given 
all  it  requires. 

Before  a  boy  begins  his  athletic  career  he 
must  provide  himself  with  the  necessary  ath- 
letic outfit.  The  candidate  for  track  and 
field  honors  should  have  a  uniform  composed 
of  a  sleeveless  or  quarter-sleeved  jersey  and 
a  pair  of  running  trousers.  An  ordinary  sus- 
pensory and  a  pair  of  running  shoes  complete 


PHYSICAL  CONDITION  11 

the  outfit.  The  kind  of  shoes  worn  will  de- 
pend upon  the  event  for  which  the  boy  is 
training. 

For  all  the  runs,  from  the  short  sprints  to 
the  two  miles,  the  athlete  should  wear  a  shoe 
with  six  spikes  in  the  sole,  none  in  the  heel. 
Spiked  shoes  are  not  absolutely  essential  for 
one  who  is  taking  up  athletics  purely  for  rec- 
reation, but  if  he  wishes  to  make  record  time 
or  is  competing  against  other  athletes  so 
equipped  he  should  have  the  spiked  shoes. 
For  cross-country  running,  road  work,  and 
Marathon  running  he  should  have  a  shoe 
with  shorter  spikes  in  the  sole  and  a  low 
heel.  The  heel  may  or  may  not  have  short 
spikes.  The  jumper  and  hurdler  uses  a  shoe 
the  sole  of  which  is  slightly  stiffened,  in  ad- 
dition to  which  there  are  two  spikes  in  the 
heel. 

If  the  athlete  trains  in  cool  weather  he  will 
find  it  best  to  have,  in  addition  to  the  outfit 
I  have  explained,  a  long-sleeved  jersey  or 
sweater  with  a  neck  which  can  be  used  to 
protect  the  face  and  to  keep  him  from  breath- 
ing air  too  cold.  He  should  also  wear  a  pair 
of  long  drawers  to  protect  the  legs.     He  can 


12  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

be  as  economical  as  he  desires  in  preparing 
his  outfit,  for  practically  everything  with  the 
exception  of  the  suspensory  and  the  shoes  may 
be  home-made. 


CHAPTER  II 
DIET 

Most  persons  have  an  entirely  wrong  con- 
ception of  what  diet  means.  To  most  people 
it  conveys  the  idea  that  it  is  some  special 
preparation  of  foods  to  be  partaken  of  only 
by  athletes  in  training  or  by  sick  people.  I 
have  always  claimed,  and  my  experience  has 
borne  it  out,  that  the  kind  of  dieting  I  recom- 
mend is  the  best  food  not  only  to  keep 
athletes  in  good  condition,  but  to  keep  the 
average  man  and  woman  healthy.  It  is  sim- 
ply the  application  of  common  sense  to  the 
food  that  we  eat,  the  regulation  of  food  for 
the  stomach. 

And  I  wish  to  say  at  the  beginning  of  this 
discussion  that  a  healthy  stomach  is  not  only 
the  surest  guarantee  of  health  that  one  can 
have,  but  it  is  indispensable  to  success  in 
athletics.  And  in  the  same  proportion  that 
a  healthy  stomach  is  necessary  to  success  in 

13 


14  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

athletics  so  is  it  also  indispensable  to  the  best 
work  in  the  intellectual  and  business  world. 
It  will  increase  the  physical  and  mental  effi- 
ciency of  any  man,  woman,  or  child  one  hun- 
dred per  cent. 

It  is  a  mistake  to  imagine  that  the  sort  of 
diet  I  recommend  here  is  expensive  or  re- 
quires preparation  by  a  high-priced  chef. 
The  beauty  of  it  is  that  any  competent 
housekeeper  can  prepare  it.  In  addition  I 
will  guarantee  that  it  will  not  only  put  the 
candidate  for  athletic  honors  in  good  phys- 
ical condition,  but  it  will  benefit  in  a  surpris- 
ing manner  every  member  of  the  household. 

The  best  training  table  diet  that  I  know  of 
consists  of  the  following: 

BREAKFAST 

One  chop  or  eight  ounces  of  beef. 

One  or  two  soft-boiled  eggs. 

One  baked  potato. 

Toast  or  bread. 

Milk  or  mild  tea. 

Prunes  or  apple  sauce  (no  cream  or  sugar  added). 

DINNER 

Light  soup. 

Roast  beef,  lamb,  mutton,  or  fowl. 


DIET  16 

Boiled  or  mashed  potato. 
Vegetables  and  fruits  in  season. 
Boiled  rice  and  milk  or  cornmeal  mush. 
A  light  pudding. 
Milk  or  tea. 
Toast  or  bread. 

SUPPER 

Cold  meat  (roast  beef),  lamb,  mutton,  or  fowl,  or 

one  small  steak.     (Only  one  kind  of  meat.) 
One  potato. 

Toast  or  fresh  graham  bread. 
Prunes,  apple  sauce,  or  baked  apple. 
Milk  or  mild  tea. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  in  the  foregoing  I 
have  included  several  kinds  of  meat  from 
which  one  may  make  a  selection.  It  should 
be  understood  that  this  diet  is  merely  a  sug- 
gestion and  may  be  varied  to  suit  one's  taste. 
JFoiit-is  always  good,  but  should  be  taken  only 
in  its  proper  season. 

I  always  caution  athletes  to  abstain  from 
fish  and  rich  meats  such  as  duck.  Milk  is 
usually  good  for  most  athletes,  though  it 
should  be  remembered  that,  particularly  for 
distance  runners,  it  is  likely  to  cut  the  wind 
and  should  be  taken  sparingly  or  not  at  all 
in  the  height  of  the  training  season.     There 


16  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

is  nothing  better  to  keep  the  bowels  in  good 
shape  than  prunes,  and  they  may  be  eaten  at 
any  meal. 

It  will  be  observed  that  I  have  eliminated 
from  this  bill  of  fare  all  fish  and  oysters. 
These  are  foods  which  do  not  agree  with  all 
men,  but  appetites  differ,  and  an  athlete  may 
use  certain  kinds  of  fish  sparingly  if  he  has  a 
liking  for  it  and  it  agrees  with  him.  Every 
one  knows  that  no  two  persons  are  consti- 
tuted alike,  and  foods  that  agree  with  one 
may  not  agree  with  another.  This  bill  of 
fare  is  the  result  of  twenty-five  years  of  ex- 
perimentation on  my  part  with  thousands  of 
athletes.  With  but  few  exceptions  it  is  the 
same  I  used  when  I  was  a  professional  runner. 
It  was  evolved  after  a  most  careful  test  to 
learn  what  foods  kept  the  stomach  in  the  best 
condition  and  made  one  most  efficient  ath- 
letically and  physically. 

The  trouble  with  a  majority  of  athletes, 
and  other  persons  as  well,  is  that  they  eat 
too  much.  It  is  always  best  to  get  up  from 
the  table  feeling  a  little  hungry  rather  than 
to  leave  with  an  overloaded  stomach.  The 
worst  foe  of  the  athlete  is  indigestion,  which. 


DIET  17 

in  nine  cases  out  of  ten,  is  due  to  a  greedy 
appetite,  eating  too  fast,  or  partaking  of  foods 
and  drinks  not  suitable  to  the  stomach.     -^ 

In  my  athletic  days  a  man  never  thought 
of  drinking  ice-water  with  his  meals  or  con- 
cluding them  with  ice-cream.  My  experience 
is  that  ice-water  taken  freely  with  the  meals 
is  responsible  for  more  indigestion  than  any 
other  combination  of  causes.  Water  may  be 
cooled  a  little,  but  it  ought  not  to  be  taken  ice- 
cold,  especially  with  meals.  I  have  always 
advised  the  drinking  of  as  little  water  as  pos- 
sible during  meals,  for  the  reason  that  it 
impedes  digestion. 

Another  cause  of  bad  stomachs  among  ath- 
letes is  the  tendency  to  mix  various  fruits 
such  as  oranges  and  grapefruit  with  cereal 
covered  with  sugar  and  flooded  with  [cream 
at  breakfast.  This  combination  is  enough  to 
sour  the  strongest  stomach  and  ought  to  be 
avoided. 

I  wish  to  emphasize  the  fact  that  these 
rules  of  dieting  are  not  hard-and-fast  regula- 
tions. Every  person  should  study  his  own 
physical  condition  and  govern  what  he  eats 
and   drinks   accordingly.     I   recall  two   men 


18  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

who  in  college  rowed  on  the  crew  in  the 
spring  and  played  football  in  the  fall.  They 
had  voracious  appetites  and  would  eat  noth- 
ing but  steaks  and  drink  nothing  but  water 
at  every  meal.  If  there  was  no  steak  they 
would  not  eat.  At  the  same  table  was  an- 
other man  who  never  touched  meat,  but  he 
could  do  just  as  much  work  as  the  two  men 
who  devoured  steak.  And  while  I  am  not  a 
vegetarian,  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  of  the 
two  diets  the  vegetarian  was  by  far  the  bet- 
ter, especially  in  its  after  effects. 

The  principal  end  to  be  sought  by  the 
young  athlete  is  to  keep  the  stomach  and 
bowels  in  good  condition.  These  two  things 
are  as  important  as  the  actual  training  itself. 
The  average  person  does  not  pay  nearly  as 
much  attention  to  his  food,  his  stomach,  and 
bowels  as  he  ought,  and  if  what  I  have  said 
induces  him  to  pay  more  attention  to  these 
things,  and  form  correct  habits  concerning 
them,  it  will  be  of  lasting  benefit  to  him. 

Any  boy  or  young  man  who  takes  up  ath- 
letics of  any  kind  without  acquiring  habits  of 
personal  cleanliness  misses  one  of  the  princi- 
pal lessons  which  athletics  ought  to  teach. 


p 


5 

O 

O 


DIET  19 

The  more  attention  paid  to  such  matters, 
the  better  athlete  one  will  be,  and  the  better 
man  he  will  develop  into. 

In  the  article  on  diet  I  made  particular 
mention  of  the  care  of  the  stomach.  The 
stomach  is  affected  by  the  condition  of  other 
parts  of  the  body,  and  particularly  by  the 
teeth.  Every  boy  and  young  man  should 
have  his  teeth  examined  by  a  competent  den- 
tist, and  if  there  is  anything  the  matter  with 
them  they  should  be  attended  to  promptly. 
Next,  the  athlete  should  make  it  a  point  to 
care  for  them  properly  and  with  regularity. 
It  will  be  found  that  good  teeth  will  contrib- 
ute much  toward  a  good  stomach,  and  a  good 
stomach  is  one  of  the  essentials  to  success  in 
athletics.  Too  much  importance  cannot  be 
laid  upon  proper  bathing.  The  body  should 
always  be  kept  clean  and  the  skin  in  a  healthy 
condition.  After  taking  athletic  exercise,  the 
athlete  should  have  a  shower-bath  if  possi- 
ble. If  this  is  not  possible,  the  body  should 
be  thoroughly  cleansed  with  a  sponge.  Not 
many  boys  or  young  men,  unless  they  are 
connected  with  the  larger  schools  and  colleges 
or  some  of  the  best  clubs,  will  have  the  facili- 


20  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

ties  for  a  rub-down.  A  good  rub-down  by 
an  experienced  rubber  not  only  keeps  the 
skin  in  good  condition,  but  it  removes  lame- 
ness and  often  cures  muscle  bruises. 


CHAPTER  III 

PREPARING  FOR  ATHLETIC 
CQNTESTS 

After  the  athlete  has  gotten  into  condi- 
tion and  has  trained  faithfully  for  his  event 
he  is  ready  for  competition.  But  to  know 
how  to  run  a  race  properly  or  to  do  the  best 
work  in  a  field  event  requires  a  knowledge 
that  cannot  be  obtained  entirely  from  faith- 
ful training.  I  have  seen  hundreds  of  races 
lost  through  inexperience,  nervousness,  and 
ignorance  of  racing  knowledge  in  general; 
also  field  events  in  which  the  better  man  did 
not  always  win,  for  the  same  reasons.  Con- 
sequently I  shall  give  a  few  words  of  instruc- 
tion about  the  final  preparation  for  a  race  or 
other  athletic  contest. 

First  of  all,  the  athlete  should  aim  to  have 
himself  in  perfect  control.  He  should  not 
worry  about  his  coming  competition.     The 

21 


22  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

moment  he  violates  this  rule  he  reduces  his 
chances  of  victory.  Of  course,  some  athletes 
are  of  such  a  nervous  temperament  that  they 
find  it  hard  to  obey  this  rule.  The  best  way 
to  insure  going  into  a  competition  in  the  proper 
frame  of  mind  is  to  keep  busy  until  the  day 
of  the  contest. 

I  always  recommend  that  the  athlete  do 
absolutely  no  work  for  at  least  two  days  pre- 
ceding his  contest.  And  if  he  has  had  a  long 
enough  period  of  training,  say  from  two 
months  to  ten  weeks,  it  will  probably  be 
found  that  it  will  not  be  necessary  to  do  very 
much  work  the  last  week.  This  is  the  rule 
I  have  always  adhered  to,  and  in  training  my 
teams  for  the  Intercollegiate  Championships 
none  of  the  athletes,  except  under  unusual  con- 
ditions, did  any  hard  work  for  five  days  before 
the  meet,  and  then  only  a  little  jog  or  very 
light  work.  It  has  been  my  experience  that 
more  athletes  suffer  in  actual  competition 
from  too  much  work  than  from  too  little. 
This  applies  particularly  to  those  who  have 
been  troubled  with  sore  shins  or  muscles. 

Considerable  attention  should  be  paid  to  the 
diet  during  the  twenty -four  hours  before  the 


PREPARING  FOR  ATHLETIC  CONTESTS      23 

race.  The  athlete  should  not  eat  anything 
hard  to  digest.  On  the  night  before  the  race 
he  need  have  no  fear  about  eating  his  usual 
hearty  meal,  provided  everything  on  the  table 
is  easily  digestible.  Assuming  that  the  race 
is  to  be  run  in  the  afternoon,  the  athlete 
should  eat  a  moderately  good  breakfast,  toast, 
a  medium-cooked  egg,  cereal,  potatoes.  As- 
suming, furthermore,  that  the  race  in  the  after- 
noon is  to  be  run  at  3  o'clock,  the  athlete 
should  take  his  midday  lunch  not  later  than 
11.30.  This  should  be  a  hght  meal,  the  best 
diet  being  toast,  one  or  two  soit-boiled  eggs, 
possibly  a  little  light  tea,  but  no  dessert  of  any 
kind. 

The  main  object  of  all  this  care  about  diet 
is  to  have  the  stomach  and  bowels  in  good 
condition.  Constipation  is  the  cause  of  nearly 
all  the  illness  and  general  ''out-of -sorts"  feel- 
ings not  only  among  athletes,  but  among  other 
persons  as  well.  Particular  care  should  be 
taken  to  have  these  organs  in  good  condition 
before  a  race  or  any  other  athletic  contest. 

When  the  athlete  arrives  at  the  field  he 
should  still  try  not  to  worry  about  the  com- 
ing contest,   and  particularly  not  to  worry 


24  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

about  his  competitors.  It  is  the  practice  of 
a  good  many  athletes,  especially  if  they  have 
had  several  years  of  competition,  to  attempt 
to  rattle  their  younger  opponents  by  boast- 
ful talking.  Beginners  should  not  Usten  to 
any  such  conversation,  and  particularly  should 
remember  that  a  race  is  won  by  the  legs  and 
brain  and  not  with  the  mouth.  Finally,  I 
would  caution  the  beginner  not  to  worry  about 
the  remarks  of  his  competitors  when  they  go 
to  the  mark. 

One  of  the  things  essential  to  a  successful 
race  is  what  is  called  ''warming  up.''  This 
is  something  which  it  will  pay  sprinters,  mid- 
dle and  long  distance  runners,  and  hurdlers 
as  well,  to  observe.  From  a  half-hour  to  an 
hour  before  the  race  the  athlete  should  go  on 
the  track,  or  if  that  is  not  available  to  some 
place  within  the  field,  and  warm  up  easily.  The 
sprinters  should  take  a  few  starts  and  then  run 
through  two  or  three  short  dashes  at  about 
three-quarters  speed.  The  hurdlers  should  do 
the  same,  and  also  try  one  or  two  hurdles  to 
make  sure  of  getting  the  stride  properly.  In  the 
case  of  the  hurdlers  it  will  probably  be  found 
impossible  to  try  a  hurdle  until  the  race  is  ready 


PREPARING  FOR  ATHLETIC  CONTESTS      25 

to  start,  because  the  hurdles  are  not  usually  put 
in  place  until  then.  But  all  starters  and  other 
officials  will  not  object  to  a  little  warming- 
up  practice  jBrst.  The  distance  runners,  if 
their  event  be  half  a  mile  or  more,  should 
dance  about  enough  to  get  the  muscles  of  the 
leg  flexible,  and  then  run  from  300  to  600 
yards,  according  to  their  events,  at  about  three- 
quarters  of  their  speed  in  order  to  fill  the  lungs 
with  oxygen.  After  this  warming-up  practice, 
the  athletes  should  return  to  their  dressing- 
rooms  and  be  particular  to  keep  off  their  feet. 
In  case  the  weather  is  at  all  cool,  the  ath- 
letes should  either  keep  on  their  drawers,  or, 
when  they  are  not  actually  running,  wear  long 
trousers.  This  precaution  is  to  keep  the  mus- 
cles from  stiffening.  Under  no  circumstances 
should  athletes,  waiting  for  an  event  or  after 
its  conclusion,  sit  on  the  damp  ground.  A 
blanket  should  always  be  carried  to  protect 
the  legs  and  arms  when  it  is  necessary  to  wait 
for  an  event. 

I  can  give  only  general  directions  in  regard 
to  the  running  events.  Sprinters,  hurdlers, 
and  quarter-milers  should  take  the  greatest 
precautions  to  insure  that  the  starting-holes 


26  ATHLETIC  TRAESTING 

are  properly  made  and  firm.  To  be  sure  of 
this,  they  should  try  them  two  or  three  times 
before  the  race  actually  starts. 

It  is  seldom  that  the  starters  in  a  longer 
race  use  the  crouch.  In  the  shorter  distances 
great  care  should  be  taken  to  get  a  good  start. 
The  athlete  should  be  sure  that  he  is  well- 
balanced  on  his  hands  and  feet.  The  usual 
form  of  starting  a  race  is  for  the  starter  to  give 
three  signals.  First,  ''On  your  mark.''  Then 
the  athlete  gets  quickly  into  position  with  the 
feet  in  the  proper  starting-holes,  at  the  same 
time  resting  the  weight  of  the  body  on  the 
knee  of  the  rear  leg.  Next,  the  starter  will 
say,  "Get  set."  Then  the  athlete  steadies 
himself  for  the  crouching  start  explained  in 
the  chapter  on  Sprinting.  When  it  appears 
to  the  starter  that  all  the  runners  are  properly 
poised  and  ready,  he  fires  the  pistol.  With 
the  report  of  the  pistol  the  race  is  on.  Most 
sprint  races  are  run  in  lanes,  but  the  athlete 
should  remember  that  a  straight  line  is  the 
shortest  distance  between  two  given  points, 
and  that  the  quickest  way  to  reach  the  tape 
is  to  run  straight.  Other  things  being  equal, 
the  man  who  wabbles  is  sure  to  be  beaten. 


;  t/?f 


PREPARING  FOR  ATHLETIC  CONTESTS      27 

In  all  races  of  a  quarter  of  a  mile  or  more 
there  are  certain  rules  which  must  be  observed 
by  the  competitors.  One  is  that  of  passing 
a  runner.  This  should  never  be  done  on  the 
inside,  because  it  is  contrary  to  the  rules,  and 
because  it  is  dangerous.  The  man  who  does 
so  is  not  only  likely  to  be  disqualified  but 
may  be  spiked  as  well.  The  rule  of  passing 
is  that  a  man  must  be  two  clean  strides 
ahead  of  a  competitor  before  he  can  cut  in 
and  take  the  pole.  As  a  rule,  referees  do 
not  insist  upon  the  strict  observance  of  this 
rule.  If  a  man  can  pass  another  without 
shortening  his  opponent's  stride  or  making 
him  slow  up  the  referee  will  not  usually  in- 
terfere. 

A  further  precaution  which  all  runners 
should  take  is  against  jostling.  Don't  jostle, 
because  the  athlete  usually  does  himself  more 
harm  than  his  competitor. 

In  a  long-distance  race  the  thing  to  be  most 
carefully  avoided  is  that  of  being  boxed.  A 
runner  is  boxed  when  he  is  hemmed  in  by 
other  runners  on  three  sides  so  that  he  can- 
not get  out  without  fouling  some  of  his  op- 
ponents or  dropping  back  and  then  passing 


28  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

on  the  outside.  Boxing  a  runner  is  illegal 
and  is  never  resorted  to  by  fair  competitors. 
If  the  referee  decides  that  a  man  has  been 
deliberately  boxed  by  the  representatives  of 
a  club  or  institution,  he  may  bar  all  the  run- 
ners of  the  offending  team.  All  races  should 
be  run  absolutely  upon  merit  and  every  man 
for  himself. 

The  reader  will  understand  that  more  at- 
tention must  be  paid  to  instruction  to  run- 
ners than  to  competitors  in  field  events. 
Broad  jumpers,  high  jumpers,  and  pole  vault- 
ers  can  take  a  few  short  runs  in  warming  up 
for  their  events,  though  they  need  not  do  it 
before  they  come  out  for  the  actual  competi- 
tion. In  the  case  of  broad  jumpers,  they 
should  first  make  sure  of  the  take-off  and 
then  try  a  few  jumps,  none  of  them  hard. 
The  high  jumpers  should  likewise  make  sure 
of  the  take-off  and  then  try  a  few  jumps  at 
a  moderate  height.  The  same  instructions 
apply  to  the  pole  vaulters. 

The  hammer  throwers  and  weight  putters 
should  do  just  enough  work  to  make  sure 
that  they  have  not  lost  their  form  and  to  get 
their  muscles  in  good  condition.     All  candi- 


PREPARING  FOR  ATHLETIC  CONTESTS      29 

dates  for  field  honors  should  exercise  the  same 
precaution  as  the  runners  in  keeping  the  body 
warm  on  chilly  days.  It  is  best  to  do  all  the 
warming-up  practice  clad  in  sweaters. 


CHAPTER  IV 
SPRINTING 

One  often  hears  it  said  nowadays  that 
""  sprinters,  Hke  poets,  are  born,  not  made/' 
In  a  measure  this  is  a  true  statement,  be- 
cause it  is  just  as  natural  for  some  men  to 
outstrip  their  fellows  in  a  foot-race  as  it  is 
for  others  to  pass  their  mates  in  any  mental 
or  physical  task.  It  would  be  a  hopeless  un- 
dertaking to  develop  a  cart-horse  into  a  trot- 
ter, because  they  are  built  for  totally  differ- 
ent purposes.  So  it  is  almost  as  hard  to  make 
sprinters  out  of  some  athletes.  It  requires  a 
peculiar  combination  of  strength,  agility,  and 
nervous  energy  to  make  one  a  successful 
sprinter,  and  if  nature  has  not  blessed  the 
athlete  with  these  attributes  no  amount  of 
hard  work  or  coaching  can  make  him  a  world 
champion. 

At  the  same  time,  any  man,  no  matter  how 

30 


SPRINTING  31 

slow  he  may  be,  can  improve  his  speed  even- 
tually by  constant  practice  and  without  harm 
to  himself.  Every  one  ought  to  know  how  to 
run  well,  because  in  learning  to  run  one  ac- 
quires the  faculty  of  thinking  quickly  and 
handling  himself  easily. 

Before  taking  up  the  technical  requirements 
of  the  sprinter  I  want  to  correct  a  popular  fal- 
lacy: that,  to  be  a  successful  sprinter,  some 
particular  build  is  necessary.  This  is  a  big 
mistake,  for  in  the  thirty  years  that  I  have 
been  training  athletes  I  have  seen  and  trained 
champions  of  almost  every  conceivable  build. 
Some  were  short  of  stature  and  inclined  to 
be  too  heavy;  some  were  very  tall  and  thin, 
while  others  have  had  what  is  considered 
an  ideal  physique.  Consequently  a  man's 
shortness  of  stature  is  not  proof  that  he  can- 
not sprint,  nor  should  he  be  dismayed  if  his 
physical  dimensions  run  to  the  other  extreme. 
If  there  is  any  advantage  to  either  type  of 
man,  I  should  say  that  it  lies  with  the  one 
who  is  tall  and  strong. 

But  what  he  should  consider  above  all  these 
things  is  whether  he  has  the  nervous  energy 
and  ascilitv  that  will  enable  him  to  leave  his 


32  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

mark  and  get  away  without  the  loss  of  a 
fraction  of  a  second,  and  the  strength  to  carry 
him  through  to  the  tape  without  a  falter.  In 
sprinting,  as  in  other  athletic  events,  success 
depends  upon  the  ability  to  get  the  maximum 
return  from  every  ounce  of  energy  without 
the  loss  of  any  of  it.  To  do  this  is  an  art 
that  requires  intelligent,  determined,  and  con- 
scientious training.  There  are  three  points 
of  which  the  sprinter  must  make  a  scientific 
study  if  he  expects  to  be  a  champion.  These 
are:  (1)  The  start.  (2)  Getting  into  the 
stride.     (3)  The  finish. 

(1)    The  Start 

Every  successful  sprinter  nowadays  uses 
the  "crouching"  start.  The  standing  start 
used  for  long-distance  races  is  impractical  for 
the  sprinter  who  needs  to  get  away  from  his 
mark  at  top  speed. 

The  crouching  start  was  first  introduced  by 
me.  This  was  in  1887,  at  Yale,  and  Charles 
H.  Sherrill  was  the  athlete  who  first  demon- 
strated its  superiority.  When  he  used  it  in 
his  first  race  he  was  laughed  at,  and  the 
starter,  thinking  that  Sherrill  did  not  under- 


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SPRINTING  88 

stand  how  to  start,  held  up  the  race  to  give 
him  instructions.  Finally,  he  was  made  to 
understand  that  Sherrill  was  using  a  new 
start.  Sherrill  immediately  demonstrated 
how  superior  it  was  to  the  old  standing  start, 
which  it  displaced,  and  now  the  crouching 
start  is  used  the  world  over  for  sprinters, 
hurdlers,  and  even  quarter  and  half  milers. 

The  importance  of  a  good  start  cannot  be 
overestimated,  for  a  poor  or  slow  start  always 
means  defeat  if  the  runners  are  otherwise 
evenly  matched.  The  athlete  who  has  mas- 
tered the  start  can  usually  gain  from  a  yard 
to  two  yards  at  the  very  beginning  of  the 
race  on  the  man  who  has  not  yet  mastered  it. 

The  object  of  a  good  start  is  to  get  oflf  the 
mark  and  into  the  natural  stride  without  the 
waste  of  strength  or  time.  The  first  thing 
the  runner  should  do  is  to  dig  the  holes  for 
starting.  As  no  portion  of  the  body  can 
touch  the  ground  in  front  of  the  starting-line, 
the  holes  should  be  dug  so  that  the  runner 
can  get  as  close  to  the  starting-line  as  possi- 
ble and  yet  be  in  a  position  to  get  away  nat- 
urally and  quickly. 

To  determine  where  to  dig  the  holes,  the 


34  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

runner  should  first  assume  the  correct  crouch- 
ing position.  First,  get  down  on  one  knee. 
The  knee  of  the  back  leg  should  be  about 
even  with  the  inner  ankle  of  the  forward  foot. 
This  is  the  proper  position  for  the  runner, 
with  the  back  knee  only  on  the  ground,  when 
the  starter  gives  the  first  of  his  three  signals: 
*'Get  on  your  marks."  With  the  next  signal, 
which  is,  "'Get  set,''  the  runner  rises  on  his 
hands  and  feet,  leaning  forward  as  far  as  pos- 
sible without  in  the  slightest  losing  his  bal- 
ance. In  this  position  he  should  wait  for  the 
report  of  the  pistol,  at  which  he  springs  for- 
ward. Every  effort  should  be  to  keep  the 
mind  concentrated  on  the  gun.  If  the  run- 
ner is  thinking  of  anything  else  he  is  sure  to 
lose  an  instant  before  he  realizes  that  the  race 
is  on. 

As  soon  as  the  sprinter  has  found  an  easy, 
natural  position  for  the  crouch  he  should  dig 
small  holes,  which  can  be  easily  done  with  the 
spiked  shoes,  one  hole  for  each  foot.  Care 
should  be  taken  to  see  that  these  holes  are 
deep  and  strong  enough  to  give  a  firm  grip. 
In  preparing  the  holes  they  should  be  so 
placed  that  the  hands,  which  are  on  the  start- 


SPRINTING  35 

ing-line,  are  not  more  than  six  inches  in  front 
of  the  forward  foot.  As  the  hands  cannot  be 
ahead  of  the  starting-mark,  the  runner  will 
give  away  distance  by  having  his  feet  further 
back  than  I  have  indicated.  Some  runners 
with  very  long  legs  and  arms  do  give  away 
more  distance  than  this,  but  the  positions  I 
have  indicated  are  best  for  the  normal  man. 
Above  all,  the  sprinter  should  see  that  he  is 
well  balanced  and  can  get  off  the  mark  with- 
out a  tendency  to  wabble. 

The  most  important  part  of  the  start  is 
that  of  holding  the  body  and  mind  in  perfect 
control  after  being  told  by  the  starter  to 
"'Get  set"  and  while  waiting  for  the  pistol. 
Let  the  weight  of  the  body  rest  on  the  front 
leg,  a  little  forward  so  that  the  first  drive  of 
the  leg  will  send  the  body  forward  and  up- 
ward. It  will  be  found  that  the  fingers  will 
be  of  great  aid  in  keeping  the  body  properly 
balanced  and  directing  the  first  forward  spring 
when  the  pistol  is  fired.  At  the  same  time, 
care  should  be  taken  to  see  that  there  is 
enough  weight  on  the  back  foot  to  keep  it 
firmly  in  the  hole  which  has  been  dug  for  it. 
The  spring  should  be  off  both  feet.     It  will 


36  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

take  some  time  for  the  sprinter  to  acquire 
that  perfect  control  of  the  body  that  will  en- 
able him  to  wait  for  the  pistol.  He  should 
not  get  into  the  habit  of  swinging  back  and 
forth.  This  habit  will  either  make  him  go 
off  the  mark  ahead  of  the  pistol,  and  then 
subject  him  to  a  penalty,  or  he  will  find  him- 
self left  at  the  mark.  He  should  also  avoid 
the  trick  of  some  runners  who  aim  to  gradu- 
ally move  the  body  forward  after  getting  set, 
on  the  assumption  that  they  can  time  them- 
selves to  reach  the  point  farthest  forward  just 
as  the  pistol  sounds.  This  practice  loses  more 
races  than  it  wins.  They  are  sure  to  be  set 
back  for  ''beating  the  gun." 

(2)    Getting  into  the  Stride 

The  same  careful  attention  to  details  must 
be  observed  after  the  start.  Getting  into  the 
stride  without  loss  of  energy  and  without 
wabbling  are  just  as  important  as  the  cor- 
rect start.  As  the  runner  rises  from  the  mark 
he  should  spring  forward  with  the  impetus 
which  the  crouch  gives.  Then  he  should 
make  it  a  point  to  run  straight  and  true,  al- 
ways remembering  that  the  straightest  course 


SPRINTING  37 

is  also  the  shortest.  Many  runners  make  the 
mistake  of  taking  too  long  or  too  short  a 
stride  at  the  first  spring.  Make  it  a  point 
to  take  these  first  few  strides  naturally  and 
easily.  The  runner  will  be  rising  gradually 
and  will  have  covered  20  or  25  yards  be- 
fore he  is  running  erect.  He  should  be  care- 
ful not  to  try  to  reach  an  erect  position  too 
quickly  or  he  will  lose  speed  in  consequence. 
In  order  to  take  his  strides  properly  and  pre- 
serve the  equilibrium  of  the  body  as  he  is  ris- 
ing he  should  take  the  first  few  strides  as 
smoothly  and  as  quickly  as  possible.  Care- 
ful observation  of  these  points  will  enable 
him  to  be  running  easily  when  he  gets  erect, 
and  he  will  then  be  able  to  put  every  ounce 
of  strength  into  his  work. 

For  the  first  few  weeks  of  his  training  the 
sprinter  will  find  that  he  has  plenty  to  do  to 
master  the  start  and  get  into  his  stride.  The 
third  course  of  training,  the  final  burst  over 
the  last  quarter  of  the  course,  must  be  de- 
layed until  he  has  attained  sufiicient  strength 
and  mastered  the  two  elements  mentioned  be- 
fore. No  sprinter,  whether  his  distance  be 
100  yards  or  220  yards,  should  attempt  to  run 


38  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

through  the  full  distance  at  anything  like  his 
best  speed  during  the  first  three  weeks  of  his 
training.  This  time  should  be  devoted  to 
practising  starts,  learning  to  get  into  the 
stride  quickly  and  naturally,  with  one  or  two 
jogs  a  day  through  the  full  distance,  but  not 
at  his  best  speed  or  a  speed  that  will  tire  him 
too  much. 

It  will  require  a  great  deal  of  careful  prac- 
tice to  master  the  start.  The  runner  should 
try  it  about  half  a  dozen  or  more  times  a  day, 
working  at  good  speed  for  about  20  yards 
and  then  slowing  down  gradually.  After  a 
rest  he  may  conclude  the  day's  work  with  a 
jog  of  120  or  150  yards,  though  at  about  four- 
fifths  speed.,  A  few  weeks  of  this  kind  of 
training  will  enable  the  runner  gradually  to 
master  the  start,  after  which  he  will  have  no 
trouble  in  maintaining  his  speed  and  equilib- 
rium as  he  runs  in  an  erect  position,  which 
he  should  be  doing  by  the  time  he  has  gone 
20  or  25  yards. 

The  sprinter  should  make  good  use  of  his 
arms,  because  they  can  be  made  to  help  the 
legs  in  their  drive  by  swinging  them  forward 
and  upward  or  by  a  good,  hard  cross-motion. 


GETTING   INTO  THE   STRIDE. 

James  Rector,  University  of  Virginia,  illustrating  proper  method 
of  sprinter  running  into  erect  position. 


SPRINTING  89 

The  sprinter  should  take  particular  care  never 
to  let  the  hand  drag  behind  the  hip.  Every 
movement  should  be  forward. 

(3)     The  Final  Burst 

The  candidate  is  now  ready  for  some  real 
speed  work,  which  brings  me  to  the  third  por- 
tion of  the  training.  First  of  all,  I  would  cau- 
tion young  sprinters  not  to  overstride,  even 
after  having  gotten  well  into  their  running. 
To  do  so  will  certainly  cause  the  body  to  be 
overbalanced  at  a  sacrifice  of  speed.  After 
the  sprinter  has  learned  the  art  of  being  nat- 
ural in  his  stride  its  length  will  adjust  itself. 
His  aim  should  be  to  run  naturally  and  to 
use  every  ounce  of  his  strength.  Above  all, 
he  should  keep  his  mind  strictly  on  his  own 
work  and  not  allow  himself  to  be  pulled  out 
of  his  stride  by  an  opponent. 

It  is  assumed  that  by  this  time  the  sprinter 
has  been  training  for  at  least  three  weeks  and 
is  now  ready  for  some  speed  work.  During 
the  third  week  the  sprinter,  who  is  training 
for  the  100-yard  dash,  should  try  himself  out 
with  a  trial  of  100  yards  against  the  watch. 
This  will  give  him  an  idea  of  what  he  is  doing 


40  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

and  at  the  same  time  show  him  whether  or 
not  he  has  enough  strength  to  go  the  full  dis- 
tance. Probably  he  will  experience  a  tight- 
ening of  the  muscles,  or  what  athletes  term 
''tie-up/'  in  the  last  25  or  more  yards  of  the 
run.  Under  such  conditions  the  runner  wab- 
bles over  his  last  quarter,  and  has  difficulty 
in  finishing.  To  correct  this  and  enable  him 
to  go  through  the  entire  distance  without 
slackening  his  speed,  and  above  all  to  have  a 
final  burst  of  speed  as  he  approaches  the  tape, 
is  the  climax  of  his  training.  Nothing  but 
conscientious  work  will  enable  him  to  over- 
come this  weakening.  But  practice  will  bring 
about  the  desired  result,  and  soon  the  legs  will 
be  strong  enough  to  carry  the  runner  through 
the  full  distance  without  a  let-up  in  his  speed. 
xVfter  the  sprinter  has  been  training  for 
three  weeks,  and  has  started  to  run  trials  at 
the  end  of  three  or  four  weeks,  care  should  be 
exercised  to  keep  these  trials  down  to  not  more 
than  two  a  week.  If  it  is  possible  to  run 
them  in  a  set  of  games,  so  much  the  better. 
I  usually  advise  sprinters  to  limit  their  trials 
to  four-fifths  the  distance  of  the  race  they 
expect  to  run.     The  man  who   is  training 


SPRINTING  41 

for  the  100-yard  dash  should  confine  most 
of  his  trials  to  80  yards,  going  the  full  dis- 
tance about  once  a  week.  By  working  out 
at  his  best  speed  for  80  yards  he  will  depend 
upon  the  excitement  of  the  contest  to  carry 
him  the  remaining  distance  without  a  let-up 
in  his  speed,  a  theory  that  seldom  fails.  Be- 
cause it  takes  more  strength  to  run  100  yards 
properly  than  most  people  imagine,  I  should 
advise  all  sprinters  not  to  overestimate  their 
strength,  but  to  train  faithfully.  In  no  other 
way  can  any  one  expect  to  be  a  10-second 
sprinter. 

Most  athletes  who  run  the  100-yard  dash 
also  try  the  220-yard  event.  But  they  are  not 
always  successful,  for  the  furlong  race  re- 
quires more  strength  and  a  sustained  sprint. 
The  reason  that  many  100-yard  sprinters  fail 
at  the  longer  distance  is  that  they  lack  the 
ability  so  to  adjust  their  speed  that  they  can 
swing  through  at  an  easy  gait  without  tying 
up. 

The  method  of  training  for  the  two  sprints 
is  much  the  same.  Like  the  100-yard  man, 
the  220-yard  runner  must  be  a  good  starter 
and,  of  course,  he  must  have  lots  of  speed. 


42  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

To  run  the  220  yards  in  22  seconds  means  a 
10-second  gait  for  the  entire  distance.  The 
principal  difference  is  that  the  220-yard  man 
must  develop  a  long,  easy  stride.  Also  he 
must  have  an  accurate  knowledge  of  the  pace 
he  can  maintain.  I  have  seen  a  great  many 
races  at  this  distance  lost  because  a  man  ran 
himself  off  his  feet  during  the  first  half  of 
the  race,  and  then  tied  up  completely  in  the 
last  half.  I  cannot  lay  too  much  emphasis 
upon  the  necessity  of  learning  to  swing  through 
this  race  at  almost  one's  best  speed  for  the 
first  180  yards.  The  runner  can  learn  to  main- 
tain a  stride  that  will  carry  him  over  the 
ground  just  as  fast  as  though  he  tried  all  the 
time.  The  last  50  yards  will  require  the  run- 
ner to  try  his  hardest.  After  the  athlete  has 
run  a  few  hard  races  at  this  distance  he  will 
understand  better  what  I  mean  by  advising 
him  to  swing  through  his  races  without  ac- 
tually trying  every  step  of  the  way  as  in  the 
100-yard  dash.  This  will  come  to  him  in- 
stinctively. 

As  a  rule,  the  best  220-yard  men  are  those 
who  can  run  a  greater  distance  than  this,  the 
best  of  them  being  able  to  go  at  the  same 


SPRmXING  43 

rate  for  300  yards.  This  has  been  true  of 
such  men  as  Wef ers,  Craig,  Lippincott,  Tewks- 
bury,  and  others. 

Since  this  race  requires  considerable  en- 
durance the  candidate  for  it  should  practise 
swinging  through  from  300  to  350  yards.  If 
he  is  also  training  for  the  100  yards  he  will 
get  enough  sprinting  practice  in  working  for 
that  event,  but  he  should  vary  his  training, 
taking  two  or  three  runs  through  for  300 
yards  at  about  four-fifths  speed. 

There  are  not  very  many  220-yard  straight- 
away courses  in  this  country,  so  that  every 
man  who  runs  this  distance,  particularly  in 
indoor  meets,  must  accustom  himself  to  run- 
ning it  around  a  curve.  The  only  way  to 
learn  running  around  the  curve  is  to  practise 
on  a  curved  track.  The  novice  at  sprinting 
on  a  curved  track  instinctively  slows  up,  while 
the  experienced  man  is  able  to  take  the  turn 
without  any  let-up  in  his  speed.  The  idea  is 
to  take  the  curve  without  chopping  the  stride. 
In  doing  this  the  runner  should  learn  the 
knack  of  turning  the  outward  foot  in  slightly 
and  going  at  full  speed  around  the  curve. 
Likewise  he  should  be  careful  never  to  run 


44  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

on  the  heel,  for  to  do  so  will  surely  make  him 
fall.  I  would  not  advise  many  trials  for  this 
race,  because  it  takes  one's  strength.  It  is 
far  better  to  run  the  trials  in  an  actual  race. 


CHAPTER  V 
MIDDLE-DISTANCE  RUNNING 

There  are  two  events  which  properly  be- 
long to  this  classification,  the  quarter  and 
half  mile  runs.  They  combine  both  the 
sprints  and  the  longer  distances,  in  that  they 
necessitate  certain  of  their  requirements  for 
success  in  each.  To  be  a  good  quarter-mile 
or  half-mile  runner  the  candidate  must  pos- 
sess some  of  the  sprinter's  speed  and  the  dis- 
tance man's  endurance.  Of  the  two  a  good 
sprint  is  perhaps  the  more  valuable  to  the 
quarter-miler,  whose  event  is  more  like  one 
sustained  sprint  every  yard  of  the  way. 

Because  of  the  great  popularity  of  relay 
racing,  nearly  every  athlete  with  any  running 
ability  at  all  takes  a  "fling"  at  the  quarter- 
mile  at  some  time  in  his  career.  The  fact 
that  four  men  get  a  chance  on  the  relay  team 
makes  it  possible  to  try  out  many  more  can- 

45 


46  ATHLETIC  TRAINmG 

didates  for  this  event  than  would  otherwise 
be  possible.  And  it  is  because  so  many  boys 
and  young  men  try  this  event  that  great 
care  should  be  exercised.  I  say  this  because 
I  consider  it  the  hardest  event  on  the  athletic 
programme,  not  excepting  the  half-mile  and 
mile  runs,  which  ar^  often  pointed  to  as  events 
which  require  more  lajerve  and  strength  than 
the  quarter.  To  run  this  distance  in  record 
or  even  fast  time  requires  more  speed  and 
endurance  than  most  runners  suppose.  There- 
fore I  would  particularly  advise  all  young 
athletes  never  to  run  this  distance  unless 
they  are  in  good  condition  as  the  result  of 
conscientious  training.  Disregard  of  this  in- 
junction is  likely  to  result  in  permanent  injury. 
There  are  two  types  of  men  who  make  good 
quarter-milers.  One  is  the  sprinter  who  has 
enough  endurance  to  carry  him  through  the 
full  440  yards,  the  other  is  a  half-miler  with 
a  good  turn  of  speed  who  can  go  through 
the  distance  at  a  uniformly  fast  clip.  M. 
W.  Long,  the  former  Columbia  University 
man  and  holder  of  the  world  record  of  47 
seconds  for  the  straightaway  track,  was  a 
man   of  the  first   type.     Long   could   sprint 


MIDDLE-DISTANCE  RUNNING  47 

both  the  100  and  220  yards  in  even  time, 
and  yet  had  enough  strength  for  the  double 
furlong.  Another  such  runner  was  C.  D. 
Reidpath,  of  Syracuse  University,  holder  of 
the  intercollegiate  record  of  48  seconds,  and 
of  the  Olympic  record  for  400  metres.  Rep- 
resenting the  second  might  be  mentioned  J. 
E.  Meredith,  of  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  winner  of  the  800  metres  run  at 
the  Olympic  garhes.  Meredith's  best  dis- 
tance was  somewhere  between  the  quarter 
and  half  mile  runs,  but  he  was  able  to  run 
the  440  yards  in  close  to  48  seconds.  The 
quarter-miler  whose  chief  dependence  is  his 
sprinting  ability  will  do  his  best  work  in  the 
first  part  of  the  race,  while  the  other  type 
of  man  will  maintain  a  more  even  gait  for 
the  entire  distance.  Of  the  two  types,  the 
sprinter,  provided  he  has  the  endurance,  is 
the  more  likely  to  be  the  record-breaker. 

Probably  it  is  because  many  schoolboys 
turn  their  attention  to  quarter-mile  running 
that  it  is  so  frequently  overdone.  It  has  been 
my  experience  with  college  athletes  that  many 
of  them  injure  or  unfit  themselves  for  first- 
class  work  as  college  men  by  too  much  quarter- 


48  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

mile  running  while  in  preparatory  school. 
The  blame  for  this  condition  of  affairs  should 
be  put  squarely  up  to  young  and  inexperi- 
enced physical  directors.  Too  often  prepara- 
tory schools  employ  men  as  athletic  trainers 
who  have  little  or  no  practical  experience  in 
running  the  distances  for  which  they  are 
training  young  boys.  Not  only  do  they  at- 
tempt to  make  quarter-milers  out  of  boys 
who  are  unfitted  for  the  distance,  but,  in 
their  anxiety  to  make  a  wonderful  showing 
in  the  various  meets  in  which  their  teams  are 
entered,  they  make  them  run  too  many  events 
in  one  day.  Fortunately,  we  are  not  having 
so  many  breakdowns  among  athletes  as  we 
once  did,  and  credit  for  this  is  due  to  a  more 
sensible  system  of  training. 

Every  quarter-miler  should  master  the 
principle  of  the  crouching  start  and  learn  how 
to  get  into  his  stride  quickly  and  naturally, 
following  the  instructions  I  have  given  on 
sprinting.  The  ability  to  start  quickly  in  the 
quarter-mile  is  fully  as  important  as  in  the 
sprints.  As  most  quarter-mile  races  are  run 
on  a  circular  track,  the  quickest  starter  stands 
the  best  chance  to  get  the  pole  at  the  first 


MIDDLE-DISTANCE  RUNNING  49 

corner,  a  consideration  which  is  not  to  be 
overlooked. 

During  the  preKminary  training  for  this 
event  the  runner  should  do  considerable  jog- 
ging at  distances  greater  than  a  quarter-mile. 
Usually  a  jog  of  half  a  mile  or  600  yards  will 
be  found  sufficient,  but  if  the  runner  also  has 
the  half-mile  in  mind  he  will  find  it  best  to 
jog  along  three-quarters  of  a  mile  or  more. 
The  object  of  this  sort  of  training  is  merely 
to  acquire  the  necessary  sort  of  endurance, 
and  the  amount  of  jogging  one  should  do  will 
depend  upon  what  he  can  do  without  the 
stiffening  of  the  muscles. 

After  getting  the  legs  and  wind  in  fairly 
good  shape  the  runner  should  begin  a  little 
speed  work,  training  with  the  sprinters  pref- 
erably. This  work  should  consist  of  practis- 
ing starts,  taking  a  few  short  sprints,  with  a 
moderately  fast  run  of  200  yards.  As  the 
athlete  gets  stronger  he  can  increase  the  length 
of  his  sprints  to  300  yards,  which  he  should 
do  without  tiring.  Assuming  that  his  train- 
ing is  to  cover  a  period  of  from  six  to  eight 
weeks  he  should  be  at  this  stage  by  half  the 
time.    For  the  remaining  portion  of  his  train- 


50  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

ing  he  can  reduce  somewhat  the  length  and 
frequency  of  the  jogs  if  he  feels  he  has 
gained  enough  endurance.  From  this  time 
on  he  should  work  for  speed,  which  will  be 
the  deciding  factor  in  his  races.  His  training 
calls  for  careful  attention  to  quick  starting 
and  a  well-sustained  sprint  for  most  of  the 
distance,  though  care  should  be  taken  not  to 
run  himself  off  his  feet  in  the  first  300  yards. 
He  should  be  particular  to  get  a  long,  swinging 
stride  which  will  carry  him  over  the  ground 
without  tiring  him  too  much  for  the  final 
sprint.  Unless  running  a  trial,  the  athlete 
should  not  go  more  than  four-fifths  of  the 
distance  at  top  speed.  As  a  rule,  it  is  not 
wise  to  run  more  than  one  trial  a  week,  and 
if  possible  this  should  be  done  in  a  race.  As 
I  remarked  in  the  case  of  sprinting,  it  will  be 
found  that  if  the  runner  accustoms  himself  to 
covering  four-fifths  of  the  distance  at  his  best 
speed  he  will  be  able  to  maintain  this  gait; 
and  the  excitement  of  the  contest  will  enable 
him  to  finish  the  last  fifth  of  the  journey 
without  distress. 

It  is  a  race  which  requires  splendid  judg- 
ment. The  greatest  mistake  the  quarter-miler 


MIDDLE-DISTANCE  RUNNING  51 

is  likely  to  make  is  that  of  running  himself 
off  his  feet  during  the  first  300  yards,  partic- 
ularly if  it  be  in  a  relay  race.  Every  man 
should  know  his  own  pace  and  run  his  own 
race. 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE  HALF-MILE  RUN 

Every  athlete  who  runs  the  half-mile,  which 
is  the  shortest  of  the  distance  runs,  will  get 
his  first  taste  of  distance  running  in  training 
for  it.  Because  there  are  certain  principles 
which  every  distance  runner  must  observe  I 
will  discuss  them  here,  and  they  may  be  borne 
in  mind  as  the  longer  distances  are  treated  of 
later.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  remind  the 
sprinter  or  even  the  quarter-miler  that  he 
must  run  on  his  toes.  He  acquires  that  habit 
naturally  in  an  effort  to  make  speed,  but 
men  who  are  running  longer  distances  may 
frequently  be  seen  running  flat-footed  and 
breathing  through  the  nose,  two  mistakes 
which  must  be  eradicated  before  one  can 
hope  for  success  in  these  events.  By  running 
on  the  toes  I  do  not  mean  to  keep  on  the  toes 
in   the   extreme   manner   that   sprinters   do. 

62 


THE  HALF-MILE  RUN  53 

The  athlete  should  aim  rather  to  run  on  the 
ball  of  the  foot.  When  he  becomes  tired  he 
will  naturally  fall  into  the  habit  of  running 
flat-footed.  Unless  he  runs  this  way  all  the 
time,  the  runner  does  himself  no  harm  by  oc- 
casionally running  flat-footed,  especially  when 
he  is  jogging  long  distances  to  strengthen  his 
endurance.  The  object  of  running  on  the 
ball  of  the  foot  is  to  get  more  spring  into  the 
stride  and  to  lessen  the  shock  to  the  nerves 
and  muscles  of  the  feet  and  legs.  In  this  con- 
nection let  me  warn  runners  against  "pound- 
ing'' or  striking  the  track  unnecessarily  hard. 
To  do  this  will  bring  on  an  afl3iction  of  sore 
shins  extremely  difficult  to  cure  and  which 
may  bring  one's  running  career  to  an  end. 
The  object  of  distance  running  is  to  develop 
a  free,  easy  stride  and  not  to  try  to  run  on 
the  toes  too  quickly. 

The  distance  runner  must  be  careful  about 
the  way  he  holds  his  arms.  The  beginner 
seldom  realizes  that  he  runs  quite  as  much 
with  his  arms  as  with  his  legs.  I  seldom  in- 
struct a  runner  to  carry  his  arms  in  any  par- 
ticular manner  if  he  carries  them  easily  and 
naturally  so  that  they  do  not  tend  to  retard 


54  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

his  momentum.  At  the  same  time  the  run- 
ner should  make  sure  that  he  is  holding  his 
head  well  up,  just  as  in  walking,  for  this  will 
enable  him  to  breathe  freely. 

It  is  especially  important  that  distance  run- 
ners should  breathe  properly.  Practically  ev- 
ery distance  runner  breathes  through  both  the 
nose  and  mouth.  The  "wind"  is  one  of  the 
most  essential  things  to  success  in  distance 
running,  consequently  the  athlete  should  be 
extremely  careful  not  to  waste  his  strength  by 
incorrect  breathing.  Most  distance  runners 
get  what  is  called  ''the  second  wind"  for  most 
distances  from  a  mile  up.  In  the  case  of  a 
mile  run  this  reaction  comes  usually  during 
the  third  quarter  and  is  a  distinct  relief  to  the 
runner.  One  need  not  feel  worried  if  he  fails 
to  get  his  second  wind,  for  I  have  known  mile 
runners  to  fail  to  get  it  and  still  others  who 
did  not  realize  it  when  it  did  come. 

All  distance  runners  should  take  scrupu- 
lous care  of  their  feet  and  under  no  circum- 
stances permit  the  toes  to  become  raw  and 
sore.  All  kinds  of  trouble  arise  from  sore 
feet.  The  distance  runner  should  wear  com- 
fortable shoes  with  chamois  pads  to  protect 


Copyright,  1912,  by  Edward  R.  Bushnell. 

UNDER  FULL  SPEED  AND  PERFECT   CONTROL. 

J.  E.  Meredith,  world's  half-mile  champion,  making  American  interscholastic 
record  for  quarter-mile  run,  48  4-5  seconds. 


THE  HALF-MILE  RUN  55 

the  toes,  or  a  clean  stocking  will  answer  the 
same  purpose.  If  the  feet  and  toes  become 
chafed  they  should  be  protected  by  a  piece 
of  surgeon's  plaster.  If  this  cannot  be  ob- 
tained a  little  absorbent  cotton  or  even  a  piece 
of  clean  cloth  wound  around  the  chafed  spot 
will  help.  If  it  is  found  that  the  skin  is  tender 
and  easily  broken  it  is  well  to  frequently  soak 
the  feet  in  a  solution  of  warm  water  and  salt 
to  harden  the  skin.  Unclean  stockings  or 
pushers  are  responsible  for  many  cases  of  sore 
feet.  These  should  be  kept  absolutely  clean 
even  if  the  athlete  has  to  wash  them  himself. 
The  first  problem  which  confronts  the  half- 
mile  runner  is  that  of  getting  his  legs  in  such 
condition  that  he  can  train  without  getting 
pains  which  come  from  sore  muscles.  To 
accomplish  this  it  is  necessary  to  do  a  great 
deal  of  moderate  jogging  before  any  effort 
is  made  to  acquire  speed,  consequently  the 
runner  should  take  things  easy  at  the  start. 
If  he  becomes  too  ambitious  he  will  find  that 
he  is  making  haste  slowly.  For  the  first  few 
days  he  should  swing  along  at  a  free  gait  and 
stop  as  soon  as  he  feels  tired.  For  the  begin- 
ner it  is  not  a  bad  idea  to  use  tennis  shoes. 


56  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

After  he  has  begun  to  feel  a  bit  tired  it  is 
well  to  walk  a  short  distance  until  rested  and 
then  to  try  two  or  three  more  easy  runs.  The 
calves  of  the  legs  are  sure  to  become  sore  at 
the  beginning  and  it  will  hurt  one  to  walk. 
But  if  the  advice  to  work  easily  is  observed  at 
the  start  the  soreness  will  gradually  disappear 
and  the  muscles  will  become  sufficiently  hard- 
ened to  do  more  severe  work. 

As  soon  as  the  legs  are  in  pretty  fair  shape 
the  runner  can  begin  to  work  out  for  440 
and  660  yards  at  about  the  speed  he  thinks  he 
can  hold  for  a  half-mile:  the  quarter  in  60 
seconds  and  the  660  in  about  1.35.  This  ex- 
ercise will  serve  very  well  until  the  runner  is 
in  moderately  good  shape.  After  that  he  can 
vary  it  by  going  a  little  farther  but  always 
trying  to  maintain  about  the  same  rate  of 
speed.  The  first-class  man,  by  which  I  mean 
one  able  to  run  the  half-mile  in  2  minutes  or 
better,  will  run  through  the  660  yards  in  1.26, 
which  he  should  do  once  or  twice  a  week.  A 
man  who  can  run  the  half  in  2.10  should  be 
satisfied  with  1.34  for  the  660.  The  beginner, 
of  course,  will  run  the  distance  considerably 
more  slowly. 


THE  HALF-MILE  RUN  57 

If  the  sort  of  training  I  have  outlined  here 
is  followed  for  a  period  of  four  weeks  the 
runner  will  be  in  condition  for  hard  work. 
During  the  last  half  of  his  training  his  work 
should  be  much  the  same  as  I  have  outlined. 
He  will  now  be  in  condition  for  an  occasional 
trial  over  the  full  distance  to  see  how  fast  he 
is  moving.  Ordinarily,  I  do  not  advise  these 
trials  more  than  once  a  week.  If  it  is  pos- 
sible to  take  the  trial  in  an  actual  meet,  so 
much  the  better,  because  it  will  give  one  the 
training  he  needs  and  racing  experience  that 
can  be  obtained  in  no  other  way.  By  compar- 
ing the  times  of  the  various  trials  the  runner 
will  know  whether  or  not  he  is  getting  enough 
work.  If  he  feels  the  need  of  longer  jogs  he 
should  not  hesitate  to  take  them.  He  needs 
strength  to  run  this  distance,  and  there  are 
bound  to  be  periods  in  his  training  when  he 
can  make  greater  progress  by  devoting  more 
time  to  jogs  of  from  three-quarters  of  a  mile 
to  a  mile  than  by  speed  work.  But,  generally 
speaking,  a  good  week's  training  will  consist 
of  two  jogs  at  about  four-fifths  speed  for  1,000 
yards  or  three-quarters  of  a  mile,  with  two 
fast  660-yard  runs  at  the  best  speed  on  al- 


58  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

ternate  days  and  a  trial  or  race  on  the  fifth 
day.  If  the  athlete  desires  to  compete  in  a 
race  at  the  end  of  the  week  he  will  wish  to 
hold  the  day  before  the  contest  open  for  very 
light  work,  or  none  at  all,  according  to  his 
condition. 

Before  the  half-miler  has  finished  his  train- 
ing he  will  realize  that  this  event  is  a  hard 
one  because  it  requires  almost  the  same  com- 
bination of  speed  and  endurance  that  the 
quarter-mile  does.  Speed  is  one  of  the  essen- 
tials, and  if  a  man  can  do  a  fast  quarter  he 
will  find  it  of  incalculable  value  for  the  half- 
mile.  In  fact  practically  all  of  the  champion 
half-mile  and  mile  runners  have  been  able 
to  run  the  quarter-mile  almost  equally  well. 
Meredith,  who  holds  the  world's  record  of 
1.52^  for  the  half-mile  run,  was  able  to  run  the 
quarter  in  nearly  48  seconds,  while  Kilpat- 
rick  and  Sheppard,  with  records  of  1.53|  and 
1.53f  respectively,  could  run  the  quarter-mile 
in  close  to  49  seconds.  It  is  an  interesting  fact 
that  in  the  800-metre  run  in  Stockholm  in 
1912,  Meredith,  the  winner;  Sheppard,  who 
was  second;  Davenport,  who  was  third;  and 
Braun,  of  Germany,  were  all  wonderfully  fast 


THE  HALF-MILE  RUN  69 

quarter-milers,  and  the  first  lap  of  that  race 
was  undoubtedly  the  fastest  first  quarter  of 
a  half-mile  that  was  ever  run. 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE  ONE-MILE  AND  TWO-MILE  RUNS 

If  tTiere  is  any  event  on  the  athletic  pro- 
gramme which  challenges  the  quarter  mile  in 
demanding  unusual  powers  of  endurance  it  is 
the  mile  run.  There  was  a  time  when  it  was 
thought  that  to  be  a  competent  mile  runner 
required  only  the  ability  to  "'loaf"  through 
the  first  three-quarters  and  then  to  sprint  the 
last.  A  history  of  the  mile  run  at  the  In- 
tercollegiate Championships  shows  the  great 
change  which  has  been  wrought  in  this  event. 
In  1876,  the  first  year  of  the  championships, 
the  mile  was  won  in  4.58 J,  time  which  would 
shame  a  schoolboy  of  the  present  day.  Three 
years  later  5.24f  was  fast  enough  to  win.  In 
1880  it  was  run  under  4.40  for  the  first  time, 
but  not  until  1889  was  it  run  under  4.30.  It 
hovered  around  this  mark  until  1895,  when 

the  record  was  reduced  to  4.23f.     This  rec- 

ao 


ONE-MILE  AND  TWO-MILE  RUNS  61 

ord  stood  until  1907,  when  it  was  reduced  to 
4.20f.  It  went  below  4.20  for  the  iBrst  time 
in  1909,  when  W.  C.  Paull,  of  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania,  set  it  at  4.17f.  Two  years 
later  J.  P.  Jones,  of  Cornell,  lowered  PaulFs 
figures  2|  seconds,  making  a  new  world's  rec- 
ord of  4.15f,  a  record  which  he  lowered  by 
a  full  second  in  1913. 

This  gradual  reduction  in  time  has  been 
the  result,  partly  of  keener  competition,  but 
more  of  the  scientific  study  of  the  event, 
the  knowledge  of  how  to  run  the  various 
quarters  to  finish  in  the  quickest  time.  It  is 
impossible  to  tell  a  mile  runner  just  how  he 
should  run  each  quarter,  but  as  a  rule  the 
best  time  is  made  by  making  the  first  quar- 
^yjter  the  fastest,  letting  down  a  little  for  the 
•Second  half,  working  hard  on  the  third  lap, 
and  finishing  the  final  lap  as  best  one  is 
able.  In  1909,  when  W.  C.  Paull  made  his 
intercollegiate  record  of  4.17|,  he  ran  his 
first  quarter  in  57  seconds,  the  half  in  2.03, 
and  the  three-quarters  in  3.10|.  The  third 
quarter  was  run  only  If  seconds  slower  than 
the  second. 

[That  the  foregoing  remarks  are  not  always 


/ 


62  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

true  is  proven  by  the  wonderful  run  of  J.  P. 
Jones,  of  Cornell,  in  1913.  In  fact,  the  time 
for  the  various  quarters  of  this  race  stamped 
Jones  as  almost  superhuman.  He  ran  the  first 
quarter  in  61 1  seconds.  He  finished  the 
half  in  2.09f  and  the  three-quarters  in  3.16i. 
Then  he  ran  the  last  quarter  in  58i  seconds. 
This  was  sufiicient  to  enable  Jones  to  win, 
but  if  he  could  have  been  paced  to  run  the 
first  half  in  about  2.03  he  would  have  done 
4.10  or  better  for  the  distance. — Editor.] 

The  best  kind  of  training  for  the  mile  run  is 
cross-country  running  taken  in  the  fall  and 
winter.  Endurance  is  of  great  importance  in 
this  race,  and  there  is  nothing  like  this  kind 
of  work  to  make  any  youngster  strong.  Fur- 
thermore, it  is  a  sort  of  training  that  will  do 
almost  any  boy  or  young  man  more  good  than 
he  imagines.  In  proof  of  this  contention  I 
would  mention  an  instance  when  I  had  three 
hundred  men  at  one  time  doing  this  sort  of 
work  into  the  middle  of  January  and  keeping 
it  up  until  well  in  March.  So  beneficial  was 
it  that  the  smallest  gain  in  weight  for  any  of 
the  boys  was  8  pounds,  while  one  man  gained 
19  pounds. 


Copyright  by  I. 


permission. 

START  AND  FINISH  OF  A  MILE  RACE. 


Above,  the  start  of  I  C.  A.  A.  A.  A.  race,  1913,  in  which  J.  P   Jones,  of  Cornell, 
made  a  world's  record  of  4.14  2-5.     Below,  the  finish  of  the  same  race. 


ONE-MILE  AND  TWO-MILE  RUNS  63 

These  boys  ran  on  the  streets  in  all  kinds 
of  weather,  though  the  younger  ones  were 
always  under  the  care  of  an  older  runner. 
The  running  outfit  consisted  of  an  old  pair  of 
street  shoes,  a  long  pair  of  woollen  stockings, 
a  pair  of  old  trousers  cut  off  below  the  knees, 
an  undershirt,  sweater,  and  cap.  From  the 
start  I  permitted  the  men  to  run  only  a  short 
distance,  which  was  gradually  increased  to 
three  miles  or  more.  Upon  their  return  to 
training  quarters  the  boys  removed  their  run- 
ning clothes  and  took  a  few  simple  body-build- 
ing exercises,  followed  by  a  shower-bath.  In 
order  that  the  run  should  not  injure  any  of  the 
men  or  retard  the  others,  the  weaker  ones  were 
worked  into  a  class  by  themselves  and  placed 
in  charge  of  an  experienced  man. 

To  any  one  who  contemplates  taking  up 
middle-distance  running,  I  do  not  know  of 
any  preliminary  course  that  could  be  recom- 
mended superior  to  the  one  I  have  given  here. 
It  is  work  which  can  be  taken  up  either  in 
the  fall  or  the  early  spring.  However,  in 
pursuing  such  a  course  of  training  I  would 
particularly  caution  the  athletes  who  do  their 
running  in  cold  weather  to  keep  the  neck  of 


64  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

the  sweater  well  up  over  the  mouth  to  pro- 
tect the  lungs  from  the  cold  air  which  they  are 
breathing.  At  the  same  time  the  runners 
should  avoid  pounding  the  pavements  or 
track,  for  this  will  produce  sore  shins,  the 
bane  of  every  distance  runner.  There  are,  of 
course,  many  who  cannot  spare  the  time  for 
a  preliminary  training  of  this  length.  I  should 
advise  them  to  begin  their  training  by  taking 
an  easy  run  after  the  manner  prescribed  for 
the  half-mile,  only  longer.  The  beginner 
should  swing  along  until  he  begins  to  feel 
tired.  After  a  short  walk  about  the  j&eld  he 
should  be  able  to  take  another  run,  not  too 
hard.  This  sort  of  training  should  be  suf- 
ficient for  the  first  two  weeks,  during  which 
time  the  runner  will  gradually  work  out  the 
soreness  from  his  muscles  and  increase  his 
endurance.  At  the  end  of  two  weeks  he  will 
be  able  to  stand  a  little  faster  pace.  If  so 
he  should  try  a  haK-mile  at  about  a  2.20 
gait.  If  he  finds  that  this  pace  does  not  tire 
him  he  may  keep  on  at  the  same  speed  until 
he  begins  to  tire. 

At  about  the  third  or  fourth  week  of  his 
training  he  should  do  some  longer  work,  run- 


ONE-MILE  AND  TWO-MILE  RUNS  65 

ning  as  much  as  two  miles  or  more  twice  a 
week.  He  will  need  this  to  give  him  the  nec- 
essary endurance  and  confidence  in  his  ability 
to  run  the  full  mile.  This  work  should  be 
varied  with  a  few  quarter-mile  runs  at  his 
best  speed  and  perhaps  one  run  a  week  against 
time  over  the  full  mile. 

A  good  mile  runner  must  be  a  sure  judge 
of  pace.  One  of  the  most  common  tricks  of 
experienced  mile  runners  who  can  sprint  is 
to  set  out  at  a  good  speed,  then  slow  down 
the  pace  gradually  and  wait  for  the  finish. 
In  this  way  a  poor  runner  with  a  sprint  at 
the  finish  can  frequently  defeat  a  man  who, 
if  he  had  followed  his  own  pace  throughout, 
would  have  been  an  easy  winner.  This  not 
only  emphasizes  the  need  of  judging  pace 
properly  but  also  of  acquiring  ability  to  sprint 
at  the  finish. 

Preparation  for  the  two-mile  run  is  much 
the  same  as  for  the  one-mile.  The  two-miler 
naturally  requires  more  endurance,  but  this 
will  be  secured  by  lengthening  the  distance  of 
the  jogs  referred  to  earlier  in  this  chapter. 
Thus,  instead  of  working  out  for  three-quarters 
of  a  mile,  the  two-mile  candidates  go  a  mile 


66  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

or  a  mile  and  a  quarter,  later  increasing  this 
distance  to  a  mile  and  a  half.  Cross-country 
running  is  ideal  preliminary  training  for  this 
event,  and  any  man  who  is  a  good  cross- 
country runner  ought  to  be  a  good  two-miler. 

I  will  assume  that  the  boy  or  young  man 
who  is  training  for  this  event  has  from  eight 
to  ten  weeks  in  which  to  get  into  condition. 
For  the  first  week  his  work  should  be  limited 
to  about  three  easy  jogs  of  from  one  to  two 
miles,  substituting  for  one  of  these  runs  a 
cross-country  jog.  If  he  feels  able  and  his 
legs  are  not  too  sore  he  might  try  a  few 
shorter  runs,  but  the  main  thing  is  to  develop 
endurance  without  acquiring  sore  shins  and 
muscles. 

The  beginner  at  this  distance  should  be  able 
to  run  it,  after  he  has  gotten  the  necessary 
strength,  in  from  11  minutes  to  11  minutes  30 
seconds.  This  time  will  be  steadily  reduced. 
To  run  the  distance  in  11  minutes  the  first 
mile  should  be  run  in  about  5.30,  the  aim 
being  to  run  the  second  mile  fully  as  fast  as 
the  first.  To  do  this  successfully  the  runner 
must  know  '  'j  pace  and  not  run  himself  off 
his  feet  or  allow  his  competitors  to  do  it  for 


Copyright  by  Edward  R.  Bushnell. 

AT  THE  ENDS  OF  THE  INTERMEDIATE  QUARTERS  OF  WORLD'S 
CHAMPIONSHIP  MILE. 

The  start  and  finish  of  this  race  are  shown  in  the  preceding  illustrations. 


ONE-MILE  AND  TWO-MILE  RUNS  67 

him.  His  object  should  be  to  run  the  dis- 
tance without  an  undue  strain  and  to  have 
enough  reserve  strength  left  for  the  final 
sprint.  He  need  have  no  fear  of  danger  to 
his  heart,  because  there  is  less  likelihood  of 
it  in  this  event  than  in  the  quarter-  or  half- 
mile  runs. 

I  cannot  lay  down  an  exact  schedule  of 
training  for  this  event.  The  amount  of  work 
a  two-miler  does  must  depend  upon  the  time 
he  has  for  training  and  how  he  feels.  I  have 
always  been  a  great  believer  in  plenty  of  work 
for  distance  runners.  If  a  man  is  able  to 
run  cross-country  in  the  fall  he  will  find  it 
an  easy  matter  to  get  in  shape  for  the  two- 
mile  run  in  the  spring.  In  general  he  will 
find  that  the  directions  I  have  given  for  the 
one  mile,  if  applied  to  the  longer  distance, 
and  practically  doubling  the  amount  of  work, 
will  get  him  in  shape. 

The  two-miler  must  not  forget  the  impor- 
tance of  speed  work.  Other  things  being  equal, 
nine  out  of  ten  two-mile  races  are  won  by  the 
man  who  has  the  sprint.  I  have  always  made 
it  a  point  to  train  all  my  distance  runners  in 
speed  work,  independently  of  training  them 


68  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

to  develop  endurance.  Sprinting  brings  into 
play  a  different  set  of  muscles,  and  when  one 
is  tired  at  the  end  of  seven  laps  with  the  long 
stride  of  the  two  miles,  if  he  is  any  sprinter 
at  all  he  will  be  surprised  at  the  easy  manner 
in  which  he  can  sprint  for  a  good  part  of  the 
last  lap.  The  man  who  can  sprint  at  the 
finish  can  afford  to  let  his  rivals  set  the  pace, 
but  he  should  not  make  the  mistake  of  de- 
laying his  sprint  too  long.  The  best  two-mile 
runners  I  have  ever  seen  were  able  to  sprint 
from  200  to  300  yards.  This  is  an  event 
which  calls  for  plenty  of  courage  and  clear- 
headed judgment  of  pace.  Before  the  two- 
miler  goes  into  a  race  he  should  have  timed 
himself  so  that  he  will  know  his  own  pace 
and  not  be  run  off  his  feet. 

if  one  has  endurance  for  two-mile  running 
he  will  find  that  this  is  the  most  beneficial 
event  and  if  properly  indulged  in  will  build 
him  up  and  increase  his  weight  without  in- 
juring him  in  any  particular. 


CHAPTER  VIII 
CROSS-COUNTRY  RUNNING 

The  development  of  cross-country  running 
in  our  preparatory  schools,  colleges,  and  clubs 
has  been  the  most  important  factor  in  raising 
the  standard  of  distance  runners  in  this  coun- 
try. Prior  to  the  Olympic  games  in  1908 
the  United  States  was  distinctly  inferior  to 
England  at  all  events  from  the  half-mile  up. 
Nearly  all  of  our  original  ideas  on  training 
came  from  England.  Upon  this  as  a  foun- 
dation the  United  States  has  made  great  im- 
provement and  has  developed  many  ideas 
which  England  is  now  copying  from  us. 

England's  superiority  at  all  the  distances 

was  due  to  the  fact  that  Englishmen  were 

taught  to  run  distances  from  their  youth  up. 

Such  games  as  the  paper-chase  and  hare  and 

hounds  were  almost  a  part  of  the  English 

boy's  education.     With  this  as  a  foundation 

69 


70  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

it  was  easy  and  natural  for  England  to  pro- 
duce good  distance  runners. 

It  was  not  until  the  United  States  began  to 
foster  cross-country  running  that  we  began 
to  develop  good  distance  runners.  The  Inter- 
Collegiate  Cross^Country  Association  con- 
ducted its  first  run  over  the  Morris  Park 
course,  New  York,  in  1899,  and  since  that 
time  the  popularity  of  this  sport  has  grown 
by  leaps  and  bounds.  Not  only  has  it  spread 
remarkably  in  the  colleges,  but  it  has  taken 
hold  in  our  high  schools,  preparatory  schools, 
and  academies,  not  to  mention  the  athletic 
clubs  which  have  followed  suit.  The  fruits 
of  this  policy  were  shown  in  striking  manner 
at  the  1908  Olympic  games,  when  the  United 
States  won  the  800  and  1,500  metre  runs, 
as  well  as  the  Marathon,  and  performed  cred- 
itably in  the  team  and  steeplechase  events. 
At  Stockholm,  in  1912,  we  did  even  better, 
not  only  winning  the  800-metre  race  and 
the  3,000-metre  team  race,  but  having  ten 
of  our  representatives  to  finish  in  the  first 
eighteen  in  the  Marathon.  In  this  respect 
we  quite  outstripped  England,  our  original 
teacher. 


CROSS-COUNTRY  RUNNING  71 

Cross-country  running,  if  properly  indulged 
in,  is  one  of  the  most  healthful  recreations  I 
know  of,  even  if  one  does  not  follow  it  in  the 
hope  of  becoming  a  champion  distance  run- 
ner. If  indulged  in  moderately  it  strengthens 
every  part  of  the  body,  and  I  have  seen  many 
a  boy  who  was  almost  made  over  by  the  sport. 
Some  persons  have  the  idea  that  cross-coun- 
try running  necessarily  reduces  the  weight. 
If  indulged  in  properly  it  will  put  on  weight 
besides  toning  up  the  entire  body.  Not  only 
is  it  good  for  distance  runners,  but  in  a  mod- 
ified form  is  invaluable  for  football  players, 
oarsmen,  and  those  who  merely  want  some 
good  conditioning  exercise. 

The  best  results  from  cross-country  running 
are  obtained  in  the  fall,  winter,  and  early 
spring.  Cross-country  running  should  never 
be  done  in  extremely  cold  weather,  and  al- 
ways in  cool  weather  the  athlete  should  be 
properly  dressed.  He  should  always  wear  a 
long-sleeved  jersey  with  a  neck.  Under- 
neath his  running  trousers  he  should  wear  a 
pair  of  long  drawers  and,  in  addition  to  com- 
fortable shoes,  a  pair  of  socks.  If  running 
against  the  wind  in  very  cold  weather  it  is 


72  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

best  to  protect  the  chest  with  a  piece  of  news- 
paper or  brown  wrapping  paper. 

Cross-country  running  in  this  country  is 
usually  done  over  a  course  of  from  5  to  7 
miles,  6  miles  being  the  length  of  the  inter- 
collegiate course.  A  cross-country  course 
should  be  over  a  country  road  or  turf,  never 
on  asphalt  or  similarly  hard  pavements.  I 
do  not  encourage  running  on  the  pavement, 
because  it  injures  the  legs.  A  little  effort  will 
find  a  suitable  course  in  the  country  or  a  park. 
Different  methods  of  training  are  required  for 
the  man  or  boy  who  takes  up  cross-country 
running  for  health  and  the  one  who  pursues 
it  to  become  a  champion  runner.  The  one 
whose  object  is  merely  health  and  the  build- 
ing up  of  the  body  will  not  train  as  hard  or 
consistently  as  the  one  who  wishes  to  become 
a  champion.  What  I  shall  say  on  the  sub- 
ject of  training  for  this  event  applies  more 
particularly  to  the  boy  who  trains  for  the  race. 
The  boy  who  merely  wants  a  good  exercise 
can  follow  any  part  of  this  training  that  he 
so  desires  or  finds  suitable. 

At  the  start  let  us  assume  that  the  boy  is 
training  for  a  race  of  5  or  6  miles.     If  he 


CROSS-COUNTRY  RUNNING  73 

has  not  been  training  for  some  months  it  will 
require  at  least  eight  weeks  in  which  to  get 
in  condition  for  a  race  of  this  length.  At  the 
outset  it  should  be  remembered  that  the  cross- 
country stride  is  different  from  that  of  the  mile 
runner  in  that  it  is  much  more  loose  and  usu- 
ally shorter.  A  boy  of  nineteen  or  twenty  years 
of  age  ought  to  be  able,  in  condition,  to  cover 
the  course  at  the  rate  of  a  mile  in  6  minutes. 
Nearly  any  person  with  ordinary  endurance 
can  learn  to  jog  a  mile  in  6  minutes.  Dur- 
ing the  first  week  the  runner  should  be  care- 
ful not  to  overtax  his  endurance  or  put  an 
undue  strain  upon  the  legs.  Sore  shins  or 
muscles  are  not  easily  cured,  and  one  will 
make  better  time  by  taking  care  of  them  at 
the  start.  The  first  week's  work  should  be 
a  combination  of  easy  jogs  and  walking.  A 
three-mile  jog  should  be  the  limit  for  the 
first  week,  though  it  may  be  supplemented 
by  continuing  at  a  walk  over  the  remainder 
of  the  course.  I  would  caution  runners  not 
to  train  more  than  four  or  five  times  a 
week,  and  one  of  these  days  may  be  devoted 
to  a  cross-country  walk  of  from  4  to  8 
miles,  according  to  the  way  the  athlete  feels. 


74  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

This  course  of  training  may  be  gradually  in- 
creased in  hardship,  lengthening  the  distance 
run  and  increasing  the  speed.  By  the  end 
of  the  fifth  week  the  athlete  should  be  able 
to  go  the  entire  distance  at  a  pretty  good 
pace,  though  I  would  not  advise  an  attempt 
to  make  good  time  more  than  once  a  week, 
nor  would  I  advise  running  the  full  distance 
in  a  trial  more  than  once  a  week.  Before  a 
cross-country  race,  the  runner  should  not 
have  trained  within  two  days,  and  he  need 
not  be  worried  if  he  has  been  unable  to  run  a 
trial  over  the  full  course,  for  if  he  is  in  moder- 
ately good  condition  he  will  find  that  the  ex- 
citement of  the  race  will  carry  him  through. 

I  have  often  been  asked  if  cross-country 
running  slows  up  a  man  for  the  half-mile  and 
mile  runs.  I  invariably  answer  no.  As  a  rule, 
it  will  be  found  that  cross-country  running 
improves  a  miler  and  does  not  reduce  his 
speed,  which  seems  to  be  the  thing  most  feared. 
The  history  of  the  Inter-Collegiate  A.  A.  A.  A. 
and  cross-country  championsiiips  will  show 
that  the  best  cross-country  runners  have  nearly 
always  been  the  best  half-mile  and  mile 
runners.     Conspicuous  examples  of  this  truth 


CROSS-COUNTRY  RUNNING  75 

were  George  Orton,  Alexander  Grant,  and 
W.  C.  Paull,  of  Pennsylvania;  John  Cregan, 
of  Princeton;  and  J.  P.  Jones,  of  Cornell, 
nearly  all  of  these  men  being  just  as  fast  at 
the  half-mile  and  mile  as  they  were  over  the 
cross-country  course. 

Schoolboys,  especially  those  under  eighteen 
years  of  age,  should  do  cross-country  work 
sparingly.  Such  sports  as  hare-and-hound 
racing,  in  which  boys  have  a  chance  to  slow 
down,  does  them  good,  but  I  would  not  advise 
boys  to  run  cross-country  races  of  more  than 
3  miles  in  length.  And  boys  under  sixteen, 
particularly  if  they  have  not  attained  their 
growth,  should  confine  their  cross-country  ex- 
ercise to  walks  and  easy  jogs.  They  will  find 
that  moderation  at  their  age  will  be  best  for 
their  health,  and  that  when  eighteen  years  old 
and  over  they  will  be  able  to  do  something 
worth  while.  I  have  known  cases  in  which 
boys  were  rendered  unfit  for  further  athletic 
competition  by  doing  too  much  strenuous 
cross-country  running  at  too  early  an  age. 

The  best  way  for  a  college,  club,  or  school 
to  develop  interest  in  cross-country  running 
is  for  a  group  to  train  together.    The  most 


76  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

experienced  runner  of  the  group  should  act 
as  the  pace-maker,  but  he  should  understand 
the  art  of  pace-making  so  that  he  will  not  let 
the  others  run  themselves  off  their  feet  or 
engage  in  racing  practice  when  they  should 
be  merely  jogging.  Training  alone  makes 
cross-country  work  irksome. 


CHAPTER  IX 
THE  MARATHON  RUN 

The  revival  of  the  Olympic  games  is  re- 
sponsible for  the  great  interest  taken  through- 
out this  country  in  Marathon  running  on  the 
part  of  amateurs.  In  the  early  days  of  our 
athletic  history,  professionals  indulged  in 
these  long  runs,  frequently  competing  in  dis- 
tances greater  than  the  Marathon.  But  the 
amateurs  have  taken  it  up  only  since  it  was 
made  such  a  feature  of  the  Olympic  games 
revived  at  Athens  in  1896.  Marathon  run- 
ning became  a  craze  in  this  country  in  the 
fall  of  1908,  after  Johnny  Hayes  had  won  the 
Marathon  run  at  the  Olympic  games  held  in 
London  that  summer.  That  race  was  one  of 
the  most  remarkable  and  sensational  contests 
in  the  world's  history,  and  being  won  by  an 
American  naturally  aroused  great  interest  in 
this  sort  of  long-distance  work. 

When  I  saw  to  what  extent  the  Marathon 

77 


78  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

craze  was  being  pursued  by  boys  and  imma- 
ture young  men,  not  properly  trained,  I 
sounded  a  warning  against  it,  and  I  have 
been  trying  ever  since  to  persuade  boys  and 
young  men  not  fitted  for  a  race  which  re- 
quires so  much  endurance  to  leave  it  alone. 
In  particular,  no  boy  under  eighteen  years 
should  run  this  distance.  Twenty  years  is 
young  enough  for  so  great  an  effort. 

Before  an  athlete  decides  to  take  up  Mara- 
thon running  he  should  be  very  sure  of  him- 
self on  several  points.  First  of  all,  he  should 
know  that  he  has  the  endurance  for  a  long 
run,  the  Marathon  distance  being  approxi- 
mately 25  miles.  The  fact  that  a  young  man 
can  run  5  miles  is  not  good  evidence  that  he 
can  run  25  miles.  I  have  always  gone  on  this 
theory,  that  if  one  can  run  5  miles  comfortably, 
he  can  also  run  10  miles  without  injury.  And 
if  one  finds  that  10  or  12  miles  can  be  covered 
without  great  distress  the  chances  are  that 
with  the  proper  training  he  can  go  the 
Marathon  distance.  In  other  words,  one 
should  never  take  up  Marathon  running  un- 
less he  has  demonstrated  to  himself  that  he 
has  the  strength  to  do  it. 


THE  MARATHON  RUN  79 

Another  point  a  Marathon  runner  should 
bear  in  mind  is  this:  any  race  or  competi- 
tion that  results  in  such  physical  exhaustion 
as  must  follow  a  Marathon  contest  demands 
that  the  athlete  have  plenty  of  time  to  rest. 
The  number  of  men  who  are  fitted  by  nature 
or  by  their  occupations  to  run  the  Marathon 
distance  is  very  few.  Clerks  who  sit  down 
most  of  the  time  can  stand  more  work  than 
a  man  who  is  constantly  on  his  feet.  But 
unless  a  man  is  so  situated  that  he  can  get 
all  the  sleep  and  rest  he  needs  he  should  not 
take  up  Marathon  running. 

In  order  to  get  in  condition  for  so  hard  a 
race  a  man  should  be  able  to  run  frequently 
for  more  than  an  hour.  Often  he  needs  to 
run  two  hours  or  more.  Few  young  men 
who  are  students  or  who  work  in  shops  or 
oflSces  have  the  time  to  devote  to  this  sort 
of  training.  But  even  if  they  had  the  time 
they  would  be  unable  to  devote  a  correspond- 
ing amount  of  time  to  the  rest  which  such 
training  makes  absolutely  necessary.  This  is 
the  feature  of  training  for  Marathons  which 
most  ambitious  youngsters  overlook.  It  is 
also  a  principle  of  good  health.     Long  periods 


80  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

of  hard  work  call  for  a  corresponding  period 
of  rest.  This  applies  likewise  to  our  daily  life, 
though  many  people  do  not  seem  to  real- 
ize it.  I  hold  that  no  man,  under  any  cir- 
cumstances, should  force  himself  until  he  is 
dragged  out. 

In  telling  Marathon  runners  how  to  train 
I  shall  assume  from  the  start  that  the  candi- 
date for  honors  has  either  been  a  cross- 
country runner  or  has  demonstrated  to  his 
own  satisfaction  that  he  can  run  from  5  to 
10  miles.  Whether  he  can  run  the  full  dis- 
tance he  must  demonstrate  for  himself  with 
a  trial,  but  this  trial  should  not  be  attempted 
until  the  runner  is  in  perfect  condition  as  a 
result  of  a  system  of  rigorous  training.  The 
best  kind  of  preliminary  work  is  a  combina- 
tion of  cross-country  running,  walking,  and 
jogging.  A  cross-country  walk  combined  with 
a  slow  jog  which  will  take  a  man  a  mile  in 
about  7  or  8  minutes  is  the  best  way  to  get 
the  legs  and  the  wind  in  condition.  This  can 
be  done  two  or  three  times  a  week,  gradually 
increasing  the  distance  from  5  to  10  or  15 
miles  according  to  the  athlete's  condition. 
It  may  also  be  varied  with  a  run  of  5  or  10 


THE  MARATHON  RUN  81 

miles.  The  amount  of  work  done  will  depend 
upon  how  the  athlete  feels  and  the  amount 
of  time  he  has  to  give  to  it. 

A  man  should  not  expect  to  get  in  condi- 
tion for  a  Marathon  run  with  less  than  eight 
or  ten  weeks  of  training.  The  first  month 
should  be  devoted  to  strengthening  the  legs 
by  the  cross-country  runs  and  walks  I  have 
explained.  The  last  half  of  the  training  should 
be  devoted  to  faster  and  longer  work,  though 
the  cross-country  walks  and  jogs  should  not 
be  discontinued.  If  the  athlete  is  obliged  to 
work  for  a  living,  but  can  arrange  to  do  noth- 
ing but  train  for  the  last  three  weeks,  it  will 
be  to  his  advantage.  In  1908  and  1912  the 
candidates  for  the  American  Olympic  team 
had  not  had  enough  work  before  leaving  New 
York.  On  shipboard  they  trained  an  average 
of  about  one  hour  a  day,  Sunday  excepted. 
For  two  weeks  prior  to  each  race  I  gave  them 
all  the  work  they  could  stand.  In  prepara- 
tion for  the  London  Marathon,  after  the  men 
reached  Brighton  I  increased  the  distance 
from  12  to  30  miles.  The  boys  had  nothing 
else  to  do,  and  as  they  were  gaining  in  weight 
I  knew  they  could  stand  the  work.     What  I 


82  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

aimed  to  teach  them  was  to  run  along  easily, 
with  just  as  little  effort  as  would  be  called 
for  in  a  good  walk.  In  this  way  it  did  not 
take  anything  more  out  of  them  to  jog  along 
8  or  9  miles  in  an  hour  than  to  walk  half  as 
fast  in  the  same  time.  Several  times  during 
the  last  two  weeks  of  their  training,  both  at 
London  and  at  Stockholm,  the  men  went  the 
full  Marathon  distance  and  did  some  pretty 
stiff  training  every  day.  The  thing  I  would 
emphasize  more  than  anything  else  is  for  the 
Marathon  runner  to  acquire  the  art  of  run- 
ning easily.  The  amount  of  work  he  should 
do  will  vary  according  to  his  occupation  and 
the  way  he  feels. 

The  essentials  are  plenty  of  work,  though 
not  an  excess  of  it,  a  good  diet,  plenty  of  sleep 
and  rest,  and  no  alcohol  or  tobacco.  It  is  not 
necessary  to  be  over-particular  of  what  one 
eats  providing  it  is  good,  nourishing  food. 
Cakes,  pastry,  and  other  food  hard  to  digest 
should  be  avoided. 

A  great  many  Marathon  races  are  lost  be- 
cause of  a  runner's  desire  to  keep  up  with 
too  fast  a  pace  at  the  start.  The  success  of 
Johnny  Hayes  and  all  the  American  compet- 


THE  MARATHON  RUN  83 

itors  at  London  in  1908  was  due  to  the  fact 
that  they  had  been  trained  to  run  at  a  cer- 
tain speed.  They  had  gone  over  the  distance 
often  enough  to  know  just  how  fast  they 
could  run.  In  other  words,  they  knew  their 
own  pace.  At  the  start  of  that  run  several 
of  the  English  entrants  ran  themselves  off 
their  feet,  the  result  being  that  the  first  Eng- 
lishman to  finish  was  No.  12.  Four  Amer- 
icans who  used  their  heads  finished  in  front 
of  him. 

What  I  have  said  about  the  protection  of 
the  body  in  the  chapter  on  cross-country 
running  applies  even  more  to  the  Marathon 
distance.  The  throat  and  chest  should  be 
especially  well  protected. 


CHAPTER  X 
HURDLING 

To  discover  and  develop  a  good  hurdler 
from  a  squad  of  track  athletes  is  one  of  the 
most  difficult  tasks  that  confronts  the  coach. 
For  the  same  reason  the  man  who  selects 
this  event  needs,  besides  some  aptitude  for  it, 
a  goodly  amount  of  courage  and  determina- 
tion. When  success  finally  crowns  the  hur- 
dler's efforts  he  has  mastered  one  of  the  spec- 
tacular events  on  the  track  programme. 

Any  discussion  on  the  art  of  hurdling  should 
be  preceded  by  the  explanation  that  there 
are  two  kinds  of  hurdle-racing,  the  high  and 
the  low,  and  that  each  requires  a  special  style. 
In  the  high  hurdles  there  are  ten  hurdles, 
each  3  feet  6  inches  in  height,  placed  10  yards 
apart  over  a  course  of  120  yards.  This  allows 
15  yards  to  the  first  hurdle  and  15  yards  be- 
tween the  last  hurdle  and  the  tape.     For  the 

84 


HURDLING  85 

low  hurdles  there  are  the  same  number  of 
obstacles,  but  each  is  only  2  feet  6  inches  in 
height  and  the  distance  of  the  race  is  220 
yards.  In  this  race  the  hurdles  are  placed  20 
yards  apart  with  20  yards  to  the  first  hurdle 
and  20  yards  from  the  last  hurdle  to  the  tape. 
It  is  nearly  always  the  case  that  a  hurdler 
is  equally  good  for  the  two  events  just  as  one 
sprinter  can  master  both  the  100  and  the  220 
yard  dashes.  This  rule  is  more  likely  to  be 
borne  out  if  the  men  are  of  good  size.  It  is 
very  rare  to  find  a  short  man  who  can  hold 
his  stride  in  the  low  hurdles. 

Unlike  the  sprinter,  the  hurdler  should  have 
a  particular  build  if  he  expects  to  be  a  real 
champion.  This  peculiarity  is  that  he  must 
be  above  the  average  in  height.  It  is  true 
that  some  short  men  have  made  creditable 
records  in  the  hurdles,  but  a  study  of  the 
champions  will  show  that  almost  without 
exception  they  are  men  whose  height  is  five 
feet  ten  inches  or  more.  Stephen  Chase,  of 
Dartmouth,  one  of  the  first  hurdlers  to  run 
the  distance  in  15^  seconds,  was  six  feet  two 
inches  in  height.  A.  C.  Kraenzlein,  who  still 
holds  the  world's  record  for  the  low  hurdles. 


86  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

is  six  feet  in  height.  Smithson,  who  estab- 
Hshed  the  world's  record  of  15  seconds  for  the 
110-metre  hurdles  at  London  in  1908,  was 
close  to  six  feet,  and  so  was  Fred  Kelly,  of  the 
University  of  Southern  California,  who  won 
the  event  in  Stockholm  in  1912. 

The  height  of  the  hurdles  and  the  distances 
between  them  makes  it  necessary  for  the 
hurdler  to  have  fairly  long  legs. 

With  good  height  and  well-proportioned 
limbs  there  should  be  combined  good  sprint- 
ing ability.  A.  C.  Kraenzlein  could  always 
sprint  100  yards  in  10  seconds,  while  Forrest 
Smithson  was  almost  as  fast.  In  fact,  no  man 
that  cannot  sprint  100  yards  in  better  than  11 
seconds  can  hope  to  equal  15f  seconds  for 
the  high  hurdles.  In  view  of  the  importance 
of  speed,  the  candidate  for  hurdling  honors 
should  devote  some  time  to  practising  start- 
ing and  sprinting.  The  more  proficient  he  is 
in  these  the  better  will  be  his  chances  for 
success. 

In  view  of  the  different  styles  demanded 
for  the  high  and  low  hurdles,  T  shall  discuss 
them  separately. 


HURDLING  87 

The  High  Hurdles 

Primarily,  the  athlete  should  learn  the 
proper  method  to  clear  or  jump  the  hurdles. 
To  accomplish  this  he  should  practise  with 
one  hurdle  until  it  is  fairly  well  mastered. 
As  the  first  hurdle  in  the  120-yard  event  is 
15  yards  from  the  start,  it  should  be  placed 
at  this  distance  for  practice  in  order  to  ac- 
custom oneself  to  getting  the  correct  stride. 
The  hurdles  should  be  taken  at  moderate 
speed.  As  the  athlete  rises  to  go  over  it  the 
front  foot  should  be  pointed  well  up.  As 
soon  as  this  foot  is  over  the  back  leg  should 
be  brought  along,  though  not  too  hard.  This 
leg  should  have  a  lateral  motion,  that  is,  grad- 
ually turning  outward,  so  that  when  the  ath- 
lete is  on  top  of  the  hurdle  the  leg  will  be 
almost  at  right  angles  to  the  body.  To  do 
this  properly  the  back  leg  should  be  brought 
forward  and  outward  the  moment  it  leaves 
the  ground  so  that  it  will  bring  the  knee  clear 
of  the  hurdle  without  compelling  one  to  jump 
too  high. 

If  the  hurdler  is  just  learning  the  knack  of 
clearing  the  hurdle  he  will  find  that  his  great- 


88  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

est  fault  is  that  of  jumping  too  high.  That 
the  shortest  distance  between  two  points  is 
also  the  quickest  is  just  as  true  in  hurdling 
as  in  running.  For  this  reason  the  aim  of  the 
finished  hurdler  is  to  skim  the  hurdle  with  as 
narrow  a  margin  as  possible.  At  the  same  time 
he  should  bear  in  mind  that  it  is  equally  dan- 
gerous to  him  for  fast  time  to  strike  the  hur- 
dles. And  if  the  hurdles  are  of  the  immovable 
sort  he  will  be  sure  to  get  some  nasty  falls, 
thus  making  his  defeat  in  a  race  certain. 
By  diligent  practice  he  will  be  able  to  over- 
come this  tendency  to  jump  too  high,  and 
when  he  has  become  expert  he  will  be  able  to 
clear  a  flight  of  ten  hurdles  with  less  than  an 
inch  to  spare  over  each  and  perhaps  without 
touching  a  single  one. 

Just  as  soon  as  he  has  learned  how  to 
jump  the  hurdles  in  a  rough  sort  of  way  he 
should  practise  with  three  hurdles.  He  should 
be  very  careful  not  to  get  into  the  habit  of 
''bucking''  the  hurdle,  which  is  caused  by"" 
running  too  fast  at  the  first  hurdle  and  mak- 
ing him  halt  just  as  he  is  ready  to  jump.  It 
will  interfere  with  his  speed  to  a  certain  ex- 
tent and  he  will  have  trouble  in  getting  up 


From  a  photograph  by  H.  W.  Leeds. 

PERFECT  FORM   FOR  HIGH   HURDLES. 

Edwards,  University  of  Pennsylvania,  showing  correct  manner  of 
clearing  high  hurdles.     Note  how  the  right  foot  is  pointed. 


HURDLING  89 

to  the  second  hurdle.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
common  faults  which  youngsters  have  to  over- 
come. 

Inasmuch  as  the  distance  to  the  first  hurdle 
is  15  yards,  the  hurdler  should  be  careful  to 
get  his  stride  right  so  that  his  jumping  foot 
will  come  the  proper  distance  from  the  first 
hurdle  which  should  be  about  2  yards.  In 
order  to  do  this  properly  he  should  try  a  few 
experiments.  First  he  should  start  from  the 
left  foot,  and  if  this  does  not  bring  him  to 
the  hurdle  right  he  should  change  and  start 
from  the  other  foot.  One  or  the  other  will 
land  him  there  in  the  proper  manner.  After 
this  has  been  mastered  he  should  aim  to  get 
over  the  first  hurdle  and  get  the  foot  down 
as  quickly  as  possible.  This  jump  is  usually 
about  12  feet,  but,  as  the  hurdler's  purpose 
is  to  get  the  foot  down  without  loss  of  time, 
constant  practice  will  shorten  the  length  of 
this  jump. 

After  learning  to  clear  the  hurdles  properly 
the  athlete  should  turn  his  attention  to  get- 
ting the  stride  right  between  hurdles.  The 
normal  man  should  clear  the  distance  between 
two  hurdles  in  three  strides.     He  is  certain 


90  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

to  have  trouble  in  doing  this  at  the  start,  and 
only  constant  practice  will  enable  him  to  take 
the  correct  number  of  strides  and  reach  each 
hurdle  at  the  proper  point  and  with  enough 
momentum  to  carry  him  over. 

Having  explained  the  principles  of  high 
hurdling,  let  me  give  some  instructions  about 
getting  into  proper  condition.  Primarily,  I 
would  warn  the  beginner  not  to  overdo  his 
jumping.  A  sure  result  of  this  is  sore  shins, 
which  are  caused  by  a  jar  to  the  lower  end  of 
the  shin-bone  when  landing  and  which  noth- 
ing but  rest  will  cure.  Consequently  he  should 
be  careful  not  to  overdo  this  part  of  his  train- 
ing. The  beginner  should  try  not  more  than 
three  hurdles  about  five  or  six  times  a  day, 
and  if  possible  he  should  practise  on  the  grass 
where  he  will  not  jar  his  legs  so  much  by  the 
jumps  or  be  cut  up  in  case  of  a  fall.  As  soon 
as  [the  hurdler  finds  that  he  is  progressing  fa- 
vorably he  might  add  two  more  hurdles  at 
the  end  of  a  couple  of  weeks  and  practise 
them  moderately  until  he  can  clear  them  with- 
out losing  his  stride.  This  he  should  be  able 
to  do  within  three  or  four  weeks.  After  hav- 
ing mastered  hurdling  to  this  extent  the  ath- 


HURDLING  91 

lete  is  ready  for  a  try-out  in  a  race,  and  if  he 
can  keep  his  stride  for  eight  hurdles  in  prac- 
tice he  can  do  the  full  ten  in  a  race,  provided 
always  he  attends  strictly  to  his  own  race. 

Every  hurdler  is  bound  to  suffer  frequently 
from  sore  legs  during  the  early  part  of  his 
practice.  When  the  legs  get  so  that  it  pains 
severely  to  jump  they  should  be  given  a  rest, 
and  in  case  of  sore  shins  or  weak  ankles  an 
elastic  bandage  should  be  worn  for  a  time. 
It  will  probably  be  found  better  to  vary  the 
training  with  some  practice  at  sprinting  and 
starting,  and  with  an  occasional  jog  of  150 
yards  or  more.  Most  hurdlers  will  find  it  to 
their  advantage  to  practise  the  hurdles  no  more 
than  four  times  a  week,  devoting  the  remain- 
ing time  to  sprinting  or  resting. 

The  Low  Hurdles 

The  main  difference  between  training  for 
the  high  and  the  low  hurdles  is  in  the  manner 
of  clearing  the  hurdles.  Added  to  this  is  the 
requirement  for  more  endurance.  The  prin- 
cipal essential  to  success  in  the  low  hurdles 
is  learning  to  take  the  hurdle  "in  your  stride.'' 
As  the  low  hurdles  are  only  2  feet  6  inches 


92  Al^HLETIC  TRAINING 

in  height  this  is  possible  with  them  but  im- 
possible with  the  high  sticks.  The  manner 
of  approaching  the  hurdle  is  much  the  same, 
the  front  foot  being  pointed  up,  but  the 
lateral  stride  of  the  back  foot  is  missing. 
The  stride  for  the  low  hurdles  is  what  might 
be  termed  an  *' elongated"  stride.  Very  few 
hurdlers  are  able  to  fully  attain  this.  Nat- 
urally, it  can  be  best  acquired  by  a  tall  man 
with  long  legs.  A.  C.  Kraenzlein,  the  holder 
of  the  world's  record  for  this  distance,  had  it 
mastered  better  than  any  man  I  ever  saw. 
Kraenzlein  could  probably  sprint  220  yards  on 
the  flat  in  22  seconds.  His  world's  record  is 
23f  seconds  for  ten  hurdles  over  this  distance, 
consequently  the  clearing  of  these  obstacles 
could  have  added  only  If  seconds  to  his 
time.  This  sort  of  speed  requires  perfection 
in  the  art  of  clearing  the  hurdles.  In  fact, 
Kraenzlein  cleared  them  so  easily  that,  except 
for  a  momentary  rise  and  halting  as  he  went 
over  the  hurdle,  one  might  have  thought  that 
he  were  running  a  220-yard  sprint  race. 

For  the  same  reason  that  the  athlete  should 
take  only  three  strides  between  the  hurdles  in 
the  120-yard  event  he  should  take  seven  be- 


HURDLING  93 

tween  the  hurdles  in  the  220-yard  event.  As 
a  beginner  he  should  not  try  more  than  three 
of  these  hurdles,  going  over  them  no  more 
than  five  or  six  times  in  a  single  day.  In 
other  respects  he  should  adapt  the  instruc- 
tions I  have  given  for  the  high  hurdles  to  the 
low  hurdles.  After  he  has  mastered  the  form 
for  eight  hurdles  he  will  be  ready  for  a  race. 
He  will  need  the  same  exercises  for  harden- 
ing the  muscles,  developing  his  speed,  etc.,  as 
for  the  high  hurdles.  If  he  is  training  for 
both  hurdle-races  he  should  master  the  high 
hurdle  first,  varying  his  training  for  it  with 
working  over  the  low  hurdles. 

I  would  particularly  emphasize  the  advan- 
tage of  taking  seven  strides  between  hurdles 
in  the  220-yard  event.  Some  short  men  who 
try  the  hurdles  take  nine  strides  between  hur- 
dles, but  to  do  this  they  are  obliged  to  cut 
their  stride.  Seven  is  the  number  which  all 
the  champions  take,  and  it  calls  for  a  good, 
long-striding  man  with  plenty  of  endurance 
to  finish  the  last  three  hurdles.  I  have  seen 
a  great  many  races  between  men  who  took 
seven  strides  and  men  who  took  nine  strides 
between  the  hurdles,  and  I  have  never  seen 


94  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

a  nine-stride  man  beat  one  who  took  but 
seven  strides,  other  things  being  equal.  I 
have  seen  but  one  good  man  who  took  but 
eight  strides,  and  although  he  was  very  clever 
and  fast  he  could  not  beat  a  good  seven- 
stride  man  in  a  race. 

On  account  of  the  greater  distance  between 
the  hurdles  in  this  event,  there  are  usually 
more  falls  in  the  low  than  in  the  high  hur- 
dles. This  is  because  the  men  run  faster 
and  cannot  judge  the  distance  between  the 
hurdles  nor  the  position  of  the  hurdles  until 
they  are  upon  them.  In  order  to  take  each 
hurdle  in  the  proper  stride  the  athlete  must 
clear  13  feet  in  his  jump  and  then  cover 
47  feet  in  seven  strides.  It  is  usually  easy 
enough  to  do  this  for  the  first  six  hurdles, 
but  then  a  man  grows  tired  and  it  takes  a 
great  deal  of  strength  to  finish  the  race  with- 
out a  fall. 


CHAPTER  XI 

RUNNING  BROAD  JUMP 

There  is  no  particular  build  required  of 
the  boy  or  man  who  would  make  a  good 
broad  jumper.  I  have  seen  champions  who 
were  heavy  and  tall  and  I  have  seen  just 
as  good  ones  light  and  short.  Frank  Irons, 
who  won  the  Olympic  championship  in  1908, 
weighed  less  than  one  hundred  and  forty 
pounds  and  stood  less  than  five  feet  seven 
inches  in  height.  A.  B.  Gutterson,  who  won 
the  championship  in  Stockholm  in  1912,  is  a 
six-footer  and  weighs  nearly  one  hundred  and 
seventy  pounds.  In  spite  of  the  fact  that  good 
broad  jumping  requires  plenty  of  speed,  the 
holder  of  the  world's  record  of  24  feet  llf 
inches,  Peter  O'Conner,  was  a  very  poor 
sprinter;  but,  in  spite  of  these  differences  in 
build  and  in  ability  to  sprint,  it  still  remains 
true  that  the  majority  of  our  champion  broad 

95 


96  ATHLETIC  TRAmiNG 

jumpers  are  big  men  with  a  good  turn  of 
speed.  A.  C.  Kraenzlein,  holder  of  the  inter- 
collegiate record  of  24  feet  4i  inches,  an- 
swered this  description  perfectly.  He  stood 
six  feet  in  height,  weighed  one  hundred  and 
seventy  pounds,  and  could  run  100  yards  in 
10  seconds. 

The  equipment  for  the  running  broad  jump 
is  simple  enough.  A  joist,  preferably  eight 
inches  wide,  is  set  firmly  in  the  ground,  its 
top  being  level  with  the  top  of  the  ground. 
The  earth  should  then  be  dug  up  in  front  of 
this  joist  to  a  depth  of  from  six  inches  to  a 
foot,  and  for  a  distance  of  from  twenty  to 
thirty  feet,  according  to  the  age  and  ability 
of  the  jumpers.  The  joist  is  called  the  ^'take- 
off,'' and  in  competition  the  jumper  is  not 
allowed  to  have  any  part  of  his  foot  over  this 
board.  Each  competitor  is  allowed  three 
trials,  and  then  the  best  three  or  four  men, 
according  to  the  number  allowed  in  the  finals, 
iare  permitted  three  more  trials  each.  Each 
competitor  is  credited  with  the  best  of  his 
jumps.  The  measurement  of  a  jump  is  made 
from  the  outer  edge  of  the  joist  to  the  nearest 
break  of  the  ground  made  by  any  part  of  the 


From  a  photograph  by  H.  W  Leeds. 

GETTING  POWER  AND  HEIGHT  INTO  THE   BROAD  JUMP. 

E.  L.  Mercer,  Universitj'  of  Pennsylvania,  winning  I.  C.  A.  A.  A.  A  championship, 
1912.  Note  his  perfect  control,  how  he  gets  up  into  the  air,  and  the  scissors 
kick  with  which  he  is  preparing  to  end  his  jump. 


RUNNING  BROAD  JUMP  97 

person.  Usually  a  line  is  drawn  six  feet  in 
front  of  the  take-off  board,  and  stepping  over 
such  line  in  an  attempt  counts  as  a  balk. 
Three  such  balks  count  as  a  try.  For  three 
fouls  the  jumper  is  disqualified. 

The  beginner  must  be  very  careful  not  to 
develop  lame  muscles.  For  this  reason  his 
first  work  should  be  a  combination  of  running 
and  jumping,  with  not  enough  of  either  to 
make  the  muscles  sore.  The  first  day's  prac- 
tice should  consist  of  not  more  than  five  or 
six  jumps,  none  of  them  hard.  Then  the 
athlete  should  rest  a  day  or  two,  perhaps 
practising  a  little  sprinting,  but  not  doing 
any  more  jumping  until  the  first  soreness  has 
worn  off.  The  first  essential  the  broad  jumper 
must  master  is  the  art  of  hitting  the  ''take- 
off" properly.  By  this  is  meant  striking 
the  plank  set  into  the  ground  squarely  and 
without  fouling.  Until  the  athlete  learns 
how  to  do  this  accurately  he  should  forget  all 
about  distance,  contenting  himself  merely  with 
learning  how  to  get  his  run-down  so  as  to 
strike  the  take-off  without  being  obliged  to 
overreach,  to  shorten  the  stride,  or  to  slow 
down  the  speed. 


98  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

To  master  this,  the  athlete  must  find  the 
exact  distance  he  covers  in  his  last  six  strides. 
He  will  find  that  if  he  walks  back  12  paces 
from  the  take-off  board,  which  will  be  between 
35  and  40  feet,  somewhere  between  these  dis- 
tances he  will  find  the  right  mark  from  which 
point  six  strides  will  bring  him  squarely  to  the 
take-off.  After  getting  this  point  approxi- 
mately by  practice  he  should  mark  it  wath  a 
piece  of  paper  or  some  other  object,  and  then 
go  back  at  least  the  same  distance,  though 
a  little  more  is  better  for  the  start  of  his  run. 
This  will  enable  him  to  reach  the  take-off  at 
full  speed,  and  without  being  obliged  to  get 
up  his  speed  too  quickly.  The  athlete  should 
be  going  at  full  speed  by  the  time  this  point 
is  reached  and  should  be  able  to  strike  it  so 
that  in  six  more  strides  the  jumping  foot  will 
hit  the  take-off  board  squarely.  This  is  some- 
thing which  should  be  thoroughly  mastered, 
because  if  a  mistake  is  made  the  athlete's 
stride  will  be  too  long  or  too  short,  and  this 
will  require  either  that  he  overrun  the  board 
and  commit  a  foul  or  it  will  slow  down  his 
speed  and  seriously  shorten  the  length  of  his 
leap. 


RUNNING  BROAD  JUMP  99 

The  greatest  care  should  be  taken  to  learn 
what  is  the  proper  speed  for  the  athlete  to 
get  the  right  elevation.  If  the  jumper  runs 
too  hard  he  cannot  get  up  into  the  air  and  se- 
cure the  maximum  distance  to  his  jump. 
Running  too  slow  is  quite  as  bad.  The  ath- 
lete should  remember  that  he  must  be  going 
at  his  top  speed  just  as  he  strikes  the  take-off, 
but  not  too  fast  to  enable  him  to  spring  well 
up  into  the  air.  I  have  frequently  found  that 
beginners  may  force  themselves  to  get  the 
proper  height  by  practising  with  a  low  hur- 
dle or  some  other  object  placed  at  a  short 
distance  in  front  of  the  take-off.  Great  care 
should  be  taken,  however,  that  this  object  is 
not  something  which  will  injure  the  jumper. 
Getting  up  into  the  air  is  something  which 
will  come  only  with  practice.  He  should 
learn  to  strike  the  take-off  squarely,  so  that 
he  will  spring  high  into  the  air  on  the  rebound. 

After  the  athlete  has  learned  how  to  leave 
the  take-off  and  spring  into  the  air  he  should 
devote  his  attention  to  getting  the  greatest 
possible  distance  to  his  jump.  Since  the  jump 
is  measured  from  the  inside  of  the  take-off 
to  the  first  break  in  the  ground,  great  care 


100  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

should  be  taken  to  light  properly  on  the 
feet,  so  that  neither  the  hands  nor  any  other 
part  of  the  body  falls  back  of  where  the  heel 
strikes,  or  the  chances  are  that  2  or  3  feet 
will  be  taken  off  the  jump. 

In  order  to  get  the  greatest  possible  dis- 
tance to  the  jump  the  feet  should  be  worked 
forward  with  the  hands  outstretched  to  keep 
the  body  properly  balanced.  Some  jumpers 
work  their  feet  ''scissors"  style.  This  gives 
them  the  impression  of  taking  a  step  in  the 
air.  Myer  Prinstein,  of  Syracuse,  was  able 
to  get  almost  an  additional  foot  to  his  jump 
in  this  way.  Roy  Mercer,  of  Pennsylvania, 
also  jumps  in  this  style.  Kraenzlein,  how- 
ever, did  not  use  this  extra  kick  and  got  his 
distance  by  his  natural  spring  and  speed. 
The  same  was  true  of  Gutterson. 

The  beginner  must  be  careful  not  to  bruise 
the  bone  in  the  heel,  which  he  will  do  if  he 
strikes  the  take-off  board  too  hard  without 
the  proper  kind  of  shoes.  Regulation  jump- 
ing shoes,  with  short  spikes  in  the  heel,  are 
best  for  this  event.  Ordinary  running  shoes 
may  be  used  if  the  spikes  are  not  too  long, 
and  a  strip  of  felt  is  sewed  beneath  the  heel. 


CHAPTER  XII 

RUNNING  HIGH  JUMP 

The  running  high  jump  is  an  event  which 
calls  for  a  good  supply  of  natural  spring  and 
strength,  though  the  high  jumper  need  not 
necessarily  be  a  large  man.  In  spite  of  the 
fact  that  two  of  the  best  high  jumpers  who 
ever  lived,  M.  F.  Sweeney  and  W.  Byrd  Page, 
were  small  men,  it  is  a  rule  that  the  tall  man 
has  a  decided  advantage  in  this  event.  Until 
1912  Sweeney  held  the  world's  record  of  6 
feet  5f  inches,  while  Page  held  the  collegiate 
record  for  nearly  thirty  years.  Sweeney  was 
only  5  feet  8i  inches  in  height,  yet  he  could 
jump  9  inches  higher  than  his  own  head. 
Page  was  2  inches  shorter  than  Sweeney, 
in  addition  to  which  he  suffered  many  years 
with  a  slight  deformity  in  one  leg.  But  in 
spite  of  these  two  exceptions  the  best  of  our 
high  jumpers  have  been  tall  men,  the  majority 
being  from  6  feet  to  6  feet  3  inches  in  height. 

101 


102  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

The  equipment  for  the  high  jump  is  very 
simple.  Two  uprights,  movable  ones  being 
the  best,  are  placed  about  6  feet  apart.  Holes, 
beginning  at  a  point  about  3  feet  from  the 
bottom,  are  bored  in  them  1  inch  apart. 
Into  these  holes  pegs  are  inserted  to  hold  the 
cross-stick  over  which  the  athlete  jumps.  In 
competition  each  jumper  is  allowed  three 
trials  at  each  height,  each  competitor  making 
his  attempt  in  the  order  of  his  name  on  the 
programme.  Then  those  who  have  failed 
have  a  second  trial  in  regular  order,  and  those 
failing  in  this  trial  a  third  and  final  trial. 
Each  competitor  is  credited  with  the  best  of 
all  his  jumps.  A  line  is  drawn  3  feet  in 
front  of  the  bar  and  parallel  to  it,  known  as 
the  balk  line,  and  stepping  over  it  in  an  at- 
tempt counts  as  a  balk,  three  such  balks  count- 
ing as  a  trial.  Displacing  the  bar  also  counts 
as  a  try. 

I  should  start  my  instructions  about  high 
jumping  with  a  word  of  caution.  The  begin- 
ner should  not  try  to  clear  the  bar  with  what 
is  known  as  the  ''scissors  jump."  By  the 
scissors  jump  I  mean  this:  suppose  a  man 
takes  off  from  his  left  foot.     He  kicks  his 


RUNNING  HIGH  JUMP  103 

right  leg  out  in  front  and  high  over  the  bar, 
following  with  the  left  leg  in  the  same  man- 
ner, and  lighting  on  the  right  leg.  To  pre- 
vent this,  he  should  make  it  a  rule  always  to 
light  on  the  same  leg  from  which  he  jumps. 
This  will  make  it  impossible  to  use  the  scis- 
sors jump.  At  first  the  athlete  will  be  able  to 
clear  a  greater  height  with  the  scissors  jump, 
but  he  can  never  be  a  champion  with  this 
form,  for  I  have  never  seen  an  athlete  using 
the  scissors  jump  able  to  clear  more  than  5 
feet  10  inches. 

The  ground  in  front  of  the  bar  should  be 
dug  up  so  that  there  will  be  a  soft  place  in 
which  to  light.  This  pit  should  be  filled  with 
sawdust,  but  if  that  is  not  available,  soft 
earth,  kept  dug  up  continually,  will  do. 

In  high  jumping  the  object  is  to  throw  the 
entire  body  up  to  and  above  the  normal  level 
of  the  head,  and  then  to  get  the  body  across 
the  bar  without  touching  it.  To  do  this  will 
require  long  practice,  and  the  beginner  should 
not  try  for  height  at  the  start,  but  devote 
his  attention  to  acquiring  the  proper  form. 
Height  will  come  fast  enough  then. 

Although  there  are  certain  principles  which 


104  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

all  high  jumpers  observe,  there  are  any  num- 
ber of  styles,  or  ''lay-outs,''  as  the  jumpers 
term  them.  Style  is  pretty  much  a  matter 
of  individual  taste,  and  I  have  always  found 
it  best  to  vary  my  methods  of  coaching  to 
suit  the  individual.  M.  F.  Sweeney  had  per- 
haps the  most  perfect  form  for  a  high  jumper. 
George  Horine,  of  Leland  Stanford  Univer- 
sity, who  is  now  credited  with  the  world's 
record,  6  feet  7  inches,  had  a  style  peculiarly 
his  own,  but  it  was  not  one  which  I  would 
advise  the  average  boy  to  imitate.  Horine 
himself  had  no  success  with  it  in  the  severe 
competition  at  the  Olympic  games.  Alma 
Richards,  who  won  the  high  jump  at  Stock- 
holm, had  an  equally  peculiar  style,  and,  like 
that  of  Horine,  not  suited  to  the  average  boy. 
Richards  almost  rolls  himself  into  a  ball  as 
he  clears  the  bar.  He  possesses  the  most  ab- 
normal spring  I  have  ever  seen  in  a  human 
body,  and  it  was  this  which  enabled  him  to 
clear  so  great  a  height  with  his  peculiar  style. 
In  this  book  I  propose  to  outline  the  form 
best  suited  to  the  average  man.  We  shall 
assume  that  the  candidate  jumps  from  the 
left  foot.     In  this  case  he  should  run  toward 


RUNNING  HIGH  JUMP  105 

the  bar  from  the  right,  and  it  is  usually  best 
to  make  a  slight  curve  as  the  bar  is  approached. 
The  jump  for  the  bar  should  be  made  at  a 
point  from  3  to  6  feet  away  to  suit  the  build 
and  style  of  the  individual  athlete.  The  right 
leg  is  kicked  high  in  the  air,  and  at  the  same 
time  the  spring  is  made  from  the  left  foot. 
As  the  athlete  rises  into  the  air  he  turns  the 
body  to  the  left,  at  the  same  time  jerking  the 
left  leg  and  hips  high  and  out  so  that  he  will 
clear  the  bar  at  the  greatest  possible  height. 
There  is  certain  to  be  more  or  less  varia- 
tion in  the  way  the  turn  is  made.  This  de- 
pends upon  the  individual,  and  I  should 
strongly  advise  all  beginners  to  study  closely 
the  form  of  champions  at  every  opportunity. 
Seeing  how  another  man  does  it  will  often 
be  of  more  help  than  printed  directions.  In 
particular  the  athlete  should  devote  a  great 
deal  of  attention  to  acquiring  form,  learning 
how  to  get  the  left  leg  and  hips  out  of  the 
way  before  trying  for  height.  The  fault  most 
common  with  high  jumpers  is  that  of  hitting 
the  bar  with  the  buttock.  This  can  be 
greatly  overcome  if  the  jumper  will  be  con- 
scious of  the  eflfort  of  trying  to  lift  the  but- 


106  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

tock  high  in  the  air.  Learning  this  will  add 
6  inches  to  the  height  of  one's  jump. 

There  are  some  high  jumpers  who  have  a 
tendency  to  dive  over  the  bar.  The  rules 
provide  that  the  head  and  shoulders  must  not 
be  over  the  bar  before  one  foot  is  across.  It 
should  be  remembered  that  the  instructions 
I  have  given  deal  with  the  man  who  jumps 
with  the  left  foot.  If  it  is  more  natural  for  one 
to  jump  from  the  right  foot  he  should  reverse 
the  instructions  I  have  given  on  this  point. 

The  take-off  should  be  given  almost  as 
much  attention  as  the  style  in  clearing  the 
bar.  This  is  particularly  true  if  one  expects 
to  get  into  the  championship  class.  The  take- 
off for  the  high  jump  is  practically  the  same 
as  for  the  broad  jump.  The  most  popular 
take-off  is  a  point  eight  full  strides,  or  from 
24  to  30  feet,  from  the  bar.  This  should  be 
a  point  such  that,  if  the  athlete  jumps  from 
the  left  foot,  starting  from  this  mark  an  even 
run  to  the  bar  will  bring  his  left  foot  to  the 
correct  point  from  which  he  springs.  After 
this  take-off  has  been  determined  he  should 
go  back  double  this  distance  so  that  his  run 
will  bring  him  with  the  proper  foot  to  the  first 


RUNNING  HIGH  JUMP  107 

mark,  from  which  point  he  will  increase  his 
speed  to  the  maximum  just  before  he  reaches 
the  bar.  He  should  be  careful,  however,  not 
to  run  at  the  bar  too  hard.  It  will  be  found 
best  to  take  long  strides  as  the  bar  is  ap- 
proached and  reach  it  with  just  the  speed 
that  will  give  him  the  greatest  spring.  It 
will  take  a  great  deal  of  practice  to  get  this 
right,  but  it  is  very  important  and  will  repay 
the  jumper  in  the  end. 

The  athlete  must  use  his  own  judgment 
about  the  amount  of  work  he  should  do  at  the 
start.  Above  all,  he  should  be  careful  not  to 
overdo  it.  It  is  always  best  to  stop  when 
he  feels  able  to  do  some  more  jumping  rather 
than  run  the  risk  of  injury  or  straining  the 
muscles. 


CHAPTER  XIII 
THE  POLE-VAULT 

There  is  no  event  on  the  track  and  field 
programme  that  results  in  a  better  all-around 
development  of  the  body  than  the  pole-vault. 
It  builds  up  the  arms,  shoulders,  and  back, 
and  although  the  upper  part  of  the  body  is 
brought  most  into  play  the  legs  are  not  neg- 
lected. However,  it  is  an  event  which  re- 
quires patient  study  and  practice  if  one  wishes 
to  become  proficient  in  it. 

The  first  thing  the  pole-vaulter  should  con- 
sider is  his  equipment.  This  consists  of  a 
pole  with  which  to  vault,  two  uprights,  the 
cross-bar,  and  a  plank  to  be  sunk  in  the 
ground.  For  the  beginner  an  ash  pole  is  best 
because  it  is  strongest  and  less  likely  to  break. 
If  it  does  break  it  first  gives  warning  by  sev- 
eral cracks.  The  beginner  should  be  content 
with  a  pole  14  feet  in  length.     If  it  is  made 

108 


TWO  CHAMPION  HIGH  JUMPERS. 

Above,  A.  Richards,  U.  S.  A.,  winner  at  Olympic  Games,  Stockholm,  1902.  Below, 
G.  F.  Horine,  Leiand  Stanford  University,  holder  of  world's  record  of  6  ft. 
7  in.  made  in  1912. 


THE  SLIDE   IN  THE  POLE-VAULT. 

L.  Mercer,  University  of  Pennsylvania,  illustrating  the  correct 
method  of  sliding  the  lower  hand  against  the  upper  just  before 
clearing  the  bar. 


THE  POLE-VAULT  109 

of  ash  another  piece  2  feet  in  length  can  be 
spHced  in  at  the  upper  end.  However,  this 
extra  length  will  not  be  necessary  for  the  be- 
ginner. 

The  uprights  are  made  much  after  the  style 
of  those  used  in  the  high  jump,  with  holes 
bored  1  inch  apart  into  which  pegs  may  be 
inserted  for  the  gradual  elevation  of  the  cross- 
bar. The  plank  in  the  ground  should  be  at 
least  6  feet  in  length.  It  is  sunk  12  inches 
in  the  ground  leaving  an  edge  of  about  2 
inches  above  the  ground.  In  front  of  the 
plank  is  dug  a  small  hole  so  that  the  force 
of  the  pole  as  it  strikes  the  ground  will  be 
against  this  plank.  The  hole  may  be  from  4 
to  6  inches  in  depth.  Care  should  be  taken 
to  strike  it  properly  so  as  not  to  give  the 
body  an  undue  strain.  Careful  attention 
must  be  paid  to  the  landing-pit,  which  should 
be  filled  with  sawdust  and  kept  loose.  If 
sawdust  cannot  be  obtained  care  should  be 
taken  to  have  the  dirt  loose  and  dug  up 
frequently.  Failure  to  attend  to  this  detail 
is  sure  to  result  in  sprained  ankles  or  some- 
thing worse. 

The  beginner  should  use  the  same  care  in 


110  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

mastering  the  correct  form  for  the  vault  as 
in  the  broad  jump,  high  jump,  and  other 
field  events.  Before  any  attempt  is  made  at 
height  he  should  learn  the  proper  form  to 
clear  the  bar.  After  he  has  mastered  this  the 
height  can  be  increased,  but  not  before.  For 
the  beginner  I  would  suggest  that  the  bar  be 
placed  at  6  feet  or  at  some  height  which  can 
be  cleared  easily.  The  beginner  should  first 
practise  an  easy  riln  to  the  bar  to  learn  how 
to  strike  the  pole  properly  into  the  hole.  I 
assume  that  the  vaulter  is  right-handed  and 
that  he  is  strongest  in  his  right  arm.  The 
pole  should  be  held  with  the  strongest  arm 
above,  the  hands  about  2  feet  apart  and  the 
thumbs  firmly  grasping  the  pole,  the  little 
finger  being  lowest  on  both  hands.  With  the 
bar  at  6  feet  it  will  be  found  that  the  top 
hand  should  grasp  the  pole  8  feet  from  the 
bottom. 

The  vaulter  is  now  ready  for  his  first  at- 
tempt to  clear  the  bar.  He  should  take  an 
easy  run  of  about  30  feet,  keeping  the  eye 
on  the  hole  into  which  the  pole  is  to  be 
inserted.  Under  no  circumstances  should  he 
watch  the  bar. 


THE  POLE-VAULT  111 

As  the  pole  strikes,  the  vaulter  swings  into 
the  air,  holding  the  pole  with  a  firm  grip. 
Then  he  should  let  the  pole  swing  him  over 
the  bar  just  as  a  man  would  jump  a  fence  by 
placing  his  hands  on  the  top  rail.  He  should 
make  it  a  point  to  turn  easily  in  the  air  from 
the  right  to  the  left,  never  hurrying  the  turn. 
Right  here  the  vaulter  should  be  cautioned 
not  to  lose  his  nerve  in  going  up,  and  under 
no  circumstances  to  let  go  of  the  pole.  To 
do  so  will  give  him  a  bad  fall.  The  vaulter 
is  always  safe  as  long  as  he  holds  onto  the 
pole.  As  soon  as  the  athlete  has  made  sure 
of  striking  the  hole  properly  and  making  the 
turn  in  the  air  he  can  put  the  bar  up  a  few 
inches  and  try  for  a  greater  height. 

Care  should  be  taken  to  learn  the  proper 
method  of  landing  in  the  pit.  The  vaulter 
should  make  it  a  point  to  light  on  his  feet, 
and  if  all  the  details  I  have  given  are  care- 
fully observed,  and  the  athlete  learns  to  light 
on  his  feet  at  the  start,  he  will  have  no  fur- 
ther trouble;  If  he  falls  on  the  back  or  side 
he  is  liable  to  serious  injury. 

One  of  the  most  difficult  things  to  learn  in 
the  pole-vault  is  what  is  called  the  *' slide/' 


112  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

By  this  is  meant  the  art  of  slipping  the  left 
hand  up  against  the  right  just  before  the  pole 
strikes.  To  learn  this  the  athlete  should 
practise  slipping  the  hand  a  little  at  a  time 
with  the  bar  at  a  low  height.  Each  time  the 
hand  is  slipped  it  must  again  grip  the  pole 
firmly,  hold  on,  and  not  be  allowed  to  slip 
back  as  the  body  goes  over  the  bar.  The  left 
or  lower  hand  should  be  made  to  do  as  much 
work  as  the  upper,  but  it  will  take  lots  of 
practise  to  master  this.  Some  vaulters  slip 
the  lower  hand  close  against  the  upper  hand; 
others  leave  a  margin  of  2  or  3  inches.  Ac- 
quiring this  knack  is  worth  everything  in  pole- 
vaulting,  for  without  it  it  is  absolutely  impos- 
sible to  clear  the  bar  at  a  respectable  height. 
When  the  vaulter  has  learned  how  to  make 
the  turn  as  he  clears  the  bar  and  also  how  to 
slide  the  lower  hand  against  the  upper,  he 
should  devote  his  attention  to  the  take-off, 
which  is  just  as  important  as  in  broad  jump- 
ing. He  should  walk  back  about  12  ordi- 
nary paces  from  the  plank.  Here  he  should 
make  a  mark  and  see  if  a  run  from  this  point 
will  not  bring  him  so  that  he  will  strike  the 
take-off   properly.     If   not,  a  point   a   little 


THE  POLE-VAULT  113 

nearer  or  farther  will  make  it  right.  Then  he 
should  go  back  12  more  paces  and  come  up 
to  this  mark  at  an  easy  run.  Care  should 
be  taken  to  see  that  the  jumping  foot  strikes 
this  mark.  If  it  does  the  vaulter  is  ready 
for  work. 

The  height  at  which  the  pole  is  held  de- 
pends upon  the  height  of  the  bar  it  is  desired 
to  clear;  therefore  the  higher  the  pole  is 
held  the  farther  back  from  the  take-off  must 
be  the  point  to  be  struck  by  the  jumping  foot 
in  running  to  the  bar.  When  the  pole  is  in- 
serted in  the  hole,  and  the  vaulter' s  arms  ex- 
tended, a  triangle  is  made  by  the  pole,  the 
athlete's  body,  and  the  ground.  Just  before 
the  jump  is  made  the  vaulter  will  be  standing 
for  an  instant  on  his  toes  with  his  arms  ex- 
tended. The  angle  made  by  his  body  and  the 
ground  should  be  nearly  a  right  angle.  The 
vaulter  should  exercise  care  not  to  jump  from 
a  point  too  far  away  from  the  pole  or  he  will 
swing  in  against  it,  and  if  he  gets  too  close  to 
the  pole  he  will  receive  a  jolt  backward.  The 
object  is  to  get  a  full  swing  upward  and  for- 
ward without  any  undue  jolt  from  the  pole 
as  it  strikes  the  ground.     This  will  require 


114  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

lots  of  practice,  and  the  higher  the  vault 
the  more  difficult  it  is  to  get  it  right.  If  the 
athlete  is  having  trouble  with  this  it  is  caused 
by  one  of  two  things:  either  the  slide  of  the 
hand  is  not  made  quickly  enough  or  the  dis- 
tance from  the  point  where  the  foot  strikes 
the  ground  has  not  been  properly  determined. 

The  point  where  the  slide  is  made  varies. 
Some  vaulters  begin  quicker  than  others. 
As  a  rule,  it  will  be  found,  assuming  that  the 
jumper  takes  off  from  the  left  foot,  that  the 
time  to  make  the  slide  is  just  as  the  pole  is 
raised  and  the  right  foot  is  striking  the  ground 
for  the  last  time.  Then  the  hand  is  lifted 
upward  quickly,  gripping  the  pole  as  hard  as 
possible  to  overcome  the  jolt  caused  by  the 
pole  striking  the  ground.  The  take-off  foot 
should  be  nearly  in  line  with  the  point  where 
the  pole  strikes.  This  is  something  which  the 
beginner  should  take  great  pains  to  master. 

The  beginner  should  be  cautioned  not  to 
get  the  legs  over  the  bar  too  quickly.  The 
legs  cannot  be  gotten  over  the  bar  until  the 
pole  reaches  it;  therefore  the  vaulter  should 
not  pull  in  too  much  of  a  hurry  or  he  will 
stop  the  pole  on  the  way  up.     Care  should 


From  a  photograph  by  H.  W.  Leeds. 

THE  ARCH  IN 

Nelson 


THE  POLE-VAULT. 


Yale,  winning  an  intercollegiate  championship  and   illustrating   the 
method  by  which  the  body  forms  an  arch  in  clearing  the  bar. 


THE  POLE-VAULT  115 

also  be  taken  not  to  let  go  of  the  pole.  The 
vaulter  must  use  his  eyes  all  the  time  and 
get  as  high  on  his  hands  and  arms  as  pos- 
sible. When  the  body  and  legs  are  over  the 
bar  the  hands  should  be  thrown  up  and  back 
from  the  bar.  As  the  hands  are  released  from 
the  pole  it  is  given  a  little  push  and  will  fall 
back  naturally. 

The  pole-vaulter  must  know  the  rules  of 
competition  and  what  constitutes  a  foul.  In 
the  intercollegiate  rules  a  line  is  drawn  15 
feet  in  front  of  the  bar  and  parallel  therewith. 
Stepping  over  this  line,  which  is  known  as 
the  balk-line,  in  any  attempt  counts  as  a 
balk,  and  two  such  balks  constitute  a  try. 
Displacing  the  bar  or  leaving  the  ground  in 
an  attempt  also  counts  as  a  try.  A  vaulter 
should  know  that  during  his  vault  he  cannot 
raise  the  hand  which  was  uppermost  when  he 
left  the  ground  to  a  higher  point  on  the  pole, 
nor  can  he  raise  the  hand  which  was  under- 
most to  any  point  on  the  pole  above  the  other 
hand.  This  constitutes  climbing  the  pole  and 
is  illegal.  Each  competitor  is  allowed  three 
trials  at  each  height,  and  if  finals  are  held 
those  who  won  places  are  allowed  three  more 


116  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

trials  at  each  height.  Each  competitor  is 
credited  with  the  best  of  all  his  vaults. 

To  be  a  good  vaulter  requires  strong  arms 
and  a  strong  back.  There  is  nothing  better 
for  developing  this  than  work  in  a  gymnasium 
on  the  parallel  bars.  Care  should  be  taken 
not  to  do  too  much  at  the  start  and  always  to 
take  plenty  of  rest  when  the  muscles  become 
lame.  In  vaulting  the  heel  especially  should 
be  protected  either  with  a  little  soft  felt  or 
rubber.  Too  much  work  is  sure  to  injure  the 
shins  and  legs. 

The  climax  of  the  vaulter's  efforts  is  a  violent 
pull  of  the  arms  and  the  raising  of  the  body 
into  the  form  of  an  arch.  It  is  an  event  which 
calls  for  lots  of  training  and  scientific  study; 
but  it  is  one  of  the  most  fascinating  of  field 
events,  and  perseverance  in  it  will  be  well 
rewarded. 


CHAPTER  XIV 
THE  SHOT  PUT 

For  a  boy  or  young  man  who  wishes  to 
develop  the  upper  part  of  his  body,  putting 
the  shot  is  an  ideal  exercise.  There  are  many 
boys  fond  of  track  and  field  athletics  who  do 
not  have  the  physical  build  or  that  quickness 
of  action  to  enable  them  to  become  expert  at 
the  track  events  or  skilful  at  the  jumps  or 
pole-vault.  Possessing  a  good,  strong  frame, 
they  are  likely  to  find  the  weight  events  more 
suited  to  them. 

Every  boy  who  takes  up  either  of  the  weight 
events  with  the  idea  of  becoming  a  champion 
should  bear  in  mind  that  very  rarely  does  one 
become  a  champion  both  at  putting  the  shot 
and  throwing  the  hammer.  While  both  are 
weight  events,  they  call  for  radically  differ- 
ent styles  of  training.  Proficiency  in  one  is 
obtained  at  the  expense  of  proficiency  in  the 

other,  and  more  often  training  for  both  of 

117 


118  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

them  prevents  the  athlete  from  excelKng  in 
either.  In  putting  the  shot  one  develops  the 
^'pushing"  muscles,  while  throwing  the  ham- 
mer is  a  ^ '  pulling ' '  exercise.  Therefore,  which- 
ever event  is  selected  the  athlete  should  prac- 
tise it  to  the  exclusion  of  the  other. 

Shots  are  made  in  three  weights,  8  pounds, 
12  pounds,  and  16  pounds.  The  8-pound  shot 
is  intended  for  young  boys  and  should  be 
used  by  all  boys  fifteen  years  of  age  and 
under.  Boys  of  sixteen  and  seventeen  years 
should  limit  themselves  to  the  12-pound  shot 
and  should  not  try  the  16-pound  shot  before 
reaching  the  age  of  eighteen  years.  This 
caution  should  be  carefully  observed  because 
success  in  this  event  cannot  be  obtained  by 
a  boy  who  puts  an  undue  strain  upon  his  arm 
before  attaining  his  growth. 

The  shot  is  put  from  a  7-foot  circle. 
Four  feet  of  the  circumference  of  this  circle 
has  a  toe  board  4  inches  in  height  from 
which  the  shot  is  put.  The  rules  of  shot  put- 
ting provide  that  each  competitor  shall  be  al- 
lowed three  puts,  and  in  case  of  finals  the 
best  three  or  four  men  are  allowed  three 
more  puts.     Each  competitor  is  credited  with 


STARTING  THE  SHOT   PI  r. 

W.  F.  Krueger,  Swarthmore  College,  former  I.  C.  A.  A.  A.  A.  record-holder, 
illustrating  correct  method  of  holding  the  shot  and  balancing  the  body  before 
moving  across  the  ring. 


THE  SHOT  PUT  11& 

the  best  of  all  his  puts.  The  put  is  measured 
from  the  nearest  edge  of  the  first  mark  made 
by  the  shot  to  the  point  of  the  circumference 
of  the  circle  nearest  such  mark.  Foul  puts, 
which,  of  course,  are  not  measured,  can  be 
made  in  three  ways: 

(1)  Letting  go  of  the  shot  in  an  attempt. 

(2)  Touching  the  ground  outside  the  circle 
with  any  portion  of  the  body  while  the  shot 
is  in  the  hands. 

(3)  Touching  the  ground^  forward  of  the 
front  half  of  the  circle  with  any  portion  of 
the  body  before  the  put  is  measured. 

In  learning  to  put  the  shot  the  beginner 
should  proceed  slowly.  First  of  all,  he  should 
learn  how  to  hold  the  shot.  It  should  be  set- 
tled firmly  in  the  palm  of  the  hand  close 
to  the  root  of  the  fingers.  At  the  very  be- 
ginning the  athlete  should  be  careful  to  avoid 
the  fault  most  common  to  beginners,  that  of 
"'throwing"  the  shot.  Every  shot  putter  is 
bound  to  contract  this  fault  and  he  should 
be  on  guard  against  it  from  the  very  start. 
Throwing  the  shot  as  opposed  to  putting  it 
constitutes  a  foul,  in  addition  to  which  it  is 
a  very  severe  strain  on  the  arm.     Throwing 


120  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

the  shot  leads  one  to  depend  too  much  upon 
the  arm  and  not  enough  on  the  leg  and  body 
drive.  When  the  shot  is  thrown  instead  of 
put  it  is  impossible  to  get  the  weight  of  the 
body  behind  it.  I  can  best  explain  the  dif- 
ference between  the  throw  and  the  put  in  this 
way.  When  the  shot  is  thrown  the  tendency 
of  the  athlete  is  to  bend  the  head  forward 
and  throw  the  shot  around  the  ear,  as  it  were. 
This  mistake  should  be  carefully  avoided  and 
the  shot  should  be  put  from  a  point  under 
the  ear  and  with  the  head  up.  If  this  posi- 
tion of  the  head  and  the  arms  is  carefully 
borne  in  mind  at  all  times  the  danger  of  throw- 
ing the  shot  will  be  greatly  minimized. 

The  hardest  thing  to  master  in  putting 
the  shot  is  the  final  effort.  In  it  when  the 
shot  is  released  every  ounce  of  strength  from 
the  fingers  to  the  foot  is  concentrated  in 
one  powerful  drive.  To  co-ordinate  all  these 
things  so  that  the  correct  elevation  and  direc- 
tion are  attained  with  all  one's  strength  and 
weight  behind  the  put  is  acquired  only  after 
long  practice  and  infinite  pains. 

The  quickest  way  to  acquire  the  proper  form 
is  to  master  this  final  effort.     If  the  beginner 


THE  SHOT  PUT  121 

can  practise  from  a  slightly  elevated  stand 
he  will  succeed  in  accomplishing  this  more 
quickly.  Because  this  part  of  the  exercise  is 
the  most  important,  I  am  explaining  this  effort 
before  telling  the  shot  putter  how  to  move 
across  the  ring.  After  he  has  learned  how  to 
properly  release  the  shot  the  preliminary  ef- 
forts can  be  learned  readily  enough. 

I  am  assuming  that  the  athlete  is  right- 
handed,  in  which  case  the  shot  is  put  with 
the  right  hand.  If  he  is  not  practising  with 
a  toe-board  it  is  from  a  ring.  The  left  foot 
is  placed  either  against  this  toe-board  or  close 
to  the  circumference  of  the  circle.  Then  the 
shot  is  settled  firmly  in  the  palm  of  the  right 
hand.  The  right  leg  should  be  slightly  bent 
at  the  knee  and  the  arm  so  held  that  it  feels 
strongest  with  the  shot  resting  on  the  for- 
ward part  of  the  shoulder  close  to  the  neck. 
The  position  here  referred  to  will  vary  as 
progress  is  made.  One's  instinct  will  tell  him 
whether  or  not  he  is  holding  the  shot  cor- 
rectly. The  left  arm  and  hand  should  be 
extended  at  about  the  elevation,  but  not  nec- 
essarily in  the  direction,  the  shot  is  to  be  put. 

The  athlete  is  now  to  learn  what  is  known 


122  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

as  the  "reverse,"  in  which  the  final  effort  is 
made.  The  shot  is  put  with  an  upward  and 
outward  heave  or  push.  The  body  is  quickly 
turned  with  the  beginning  of  the  motion  so 
that  the  right  leg  will  reach  the  point  where 
the  left  leg  was  when  the  final  effort  was 
started.  In  this  the  left  leg  and  left  arm 
trail.  In  this  action  there  is  almost  complete 
reversal  of  the  legs  and  arms.  This  final 
drive  is  of  great  importance  and  should  be 
practised  faithfully  until  it  is  mastered.  I 
should  advise  beginners  to  practise  both  with 
and  without  the  shot,  and  more  often  without 
the  shot. 

Great  care  should  be  taken  to  keep  the 
weight  in  front,  because  if  it  is  put  from  a 
point  too  far  to  the  side  it  places  the  strain 
unequally  on  the  elbow  and  shoulder.  When 
the  athlete  feels  this  strain  he  will  know  that 
he  is  putting  the  shot  incorrectly,  that  he 
is  half -throwing  it  and  getting  no  assistance 
from  the  legs  and  body.  After  the  athlete 
masters  the  correct  way  to  hold  the  shot, 
how  to  balance  the  weight  and  reverse  pre- 
paratory to  make  the  final  heave,  he  is  ready 
to  train  for  competition. 


From  a  photograph  by  W.  G.  Stuart. 

FINISH  OF  SHOT  PUT. 

Final  effort  of  W.  F.  Krueger  in  putting  the  shot.  Note  how  he  has  remained  in 
the  ring  and  is  using  arms  and  hips  but  still  is  following  shot  with  full  force 
of  his  body. 


THE  SHOT  PUT  123 

The  next  part  of  the  shot  putter's  instruc- 
tion is  to  learn  how  to  begin  the  movements 
and  especially  how  to  move  across  the  seven- 
foot  circle  preparatory  to  making  the  final 
heave.  Still  assuming  that  the  shot  putter 
is  right-handed,  he  takes  his  position  just  in- 
side the  circle  and  directly  opposite  the  cen- 
tre of  the  toe  board  or  the  point  from  which 
the  shot  is  to  be  put.  The  effort  starts  with 
the  right  foot.  The  left  leg  may  be  slightly 
bent  at  the  knee  to  suit  the  individual  and 
at  such  an  angle  that  the  athlete  feels  strong 
and  well  balanced.  Then  the  left  leg  may 
be  permitted  to  swing  upward  and  downward 
until  the  body  has  all  the  momentum  it  can 
carry.  Some  shot  putters  swing  the  left  leg 
once  around  and  outside  the  right  leg  for  the 
same  purpose. 

At  the  correct  moment  the  athlete  jumps 
quickly  forward  across  the  ring  with  what 
resembles  a  falling  motion.  This  movement 
should  be  made  so  that  the  left  foot  will  strike 
close  to  the  board,  the  right  foot  striking 
close  to  the  middle  of  the  ring.  This  will 
cause  the  shot  putter  to  land  in  almost  the 
exact  position  in  which  he  started,  only  on 


124  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

the  opposite  side  of  the  ring.  Immediately 
after  the  right  foot  strikes  the  ground  the  leg 
should  be  straightened,  reversing  the  position 
of  the  arms,  feet,  and  body,  as  already  ex- 
plained. 

Care  should  be  taken  that  when  the  final 
effort  is  made  the  weight  of  the  body,  par- 
ticularly in  the  region  of  the  hips,  is  well  for- 
ward even  if  it  almost  causes  the  body  to 
fall  from  the  ring.  Getting  the  hips  up  well 
enables  one  to  get  the  full  drive  of  the  body 
and  the  legs  behind  the  final  heave.  At  first 
this  may  cause  the  athlete  to  foul,  but  it  is 
something  which  can  be  readily  corrected. 

Beginners  should  be  cautioned  to  try  for  a 
good  height  so  that  the  right  leg  and  body 
will  be  behind  the  heave.  There  will  natu- 
rally be  reason  for  discouragement  at  the  start, 
but  if  perseverance  is  practised,  and  all  the 
details  I  have  mentioned  carefully  observed, 
the  athlete  will  get  surprising  results.  I  would 
especially  urge  all  beginners  to  carefully  watch 
champions  or  experienced  shot  putters.  In 
this  way  they  will  see  how  to  correct  many 
of  their  own  faults  and  will  discover  errors 
in  form  which  they  did  not  know  existed. 


CHAPTER  XV 
THE  HAMMER  THROW 

We  are  indebted  to  the  Irish  and  the  Scotch 
for  this  event.  It  was  developed  there  and 
then  transported  to  this  country,  where  it  has 
been  brought  to  its  highest  state  of  perfection. 
Its  popularity  in  the  United  States  has  been 
far  greater  than  in  England.  Making  it  a 
standard  event  at  the  Olympic  games  helped 
to  popularize  it  everywhere. 

The  hammer  used  in  competition  varies  in 
weight  like  the  shot.  It  may  be  8  pounds, 
12  pounds,  or  16  pounds,  according  to  the 
age  and  strength  of  the  athlete.  I  should 
not  advise  throwing  the  hammer,  even  if  the 
weight  be  only  8  pounds,  for  boys  under  fif- 
teen years  of  age,  and  even  boys  under  eigh- 
teen years  of  age  should  practise  it  sparingly 
and  never  attempt  to  use  the  hammer  of  more 
than   12  pounds  in  weight.     A  very  strong 

125 


126  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

young  man  or  a  mature  athlete  may  throw 
the  16-pound  hammer  without  danger.  For 
big  men  hammer  throwing  is  an  ideal  exer- 
cise, because  no  matter  how  long  they  work 
they  cannot  injure  themselves.  In  this  re- 
spect it  is  different  from  any  other  event  on 
the  athletic  programme,  for  the  longer  the 
athlete  clings  to  it  and  practises  with  intelli- 
gence the  more  proficient  he  becomes.  I  have 
frequently  known  men  to  be  champions  at 
this  event  at  forty  years  of  age  after  practis- 
ing more  than  twenty  years. 

The  hammer  is  thrown  from  a  7-foot 
circle  and  the  rules  of  competition  are  very 
simple.  Each  competitor  is  allowed  three 
throws,  and,  as  a  rule,  if  finals  are  held,  the 
best  four  men  are  allowed  three  more  throws, 
each  competitor  being  credited  with  the  best 
of  all  his  throws.  The  throw  is  measured 
from  the  nearest  edge  of  the  mark  made  by 
the  head  of  the  hammer  where  it  strikes  the 
ground  to  the  point  of  the  circumference  of 
the  circle  nearest  such  mark.  There  are  three 
methods  of  fouling,  as  follows: 

(1)  Letting  go  of  the  hammer  in  an  attempt. 

(2)  Touching  the  ground  outside  of  the  cir- 


THE  HAMMER  THROW  127 

cle  with  any  portion  of  the  body  while  the 
hammer  is  in  the  hands. 

(3)  Touching  the  ground  forward  of  the 
front  half  of  the  circle  with  any  portion  of 
the  body  before  the  throw  is  measured. 

There  is  one  serious  drawback  to  hammer 
throwing:  it  requires  a  big  field  for  practice, 
and  unless  the  athlete  uses  a  wire  cage  there 
is  always  more  or  less  danger  to  spectators 
and  other  athletes  who  may  be  using  the 
same  field.  Various  associations  have  con- 
sidered the  elimination  of  the  event  from  time 
to  time  because  of  the  danger  which  attends 
it,  but  it  is  so  good  an  exercise  that  I  should 
hate  to  see  it  eliminated.  To  my  mind  the 
Swedish  Olympic  committee  came  as  near 
eradicating  danger  from  the  event  as  can  be 
done  when  it  compelled  athletes  to  throw 
from  a  wire  cage  and  as  a  further  precau- 
tion ruled  as  fouls  all  throws  not  made  within 
a  specific  angle.  This  rule  made  the  event 
an  interesting  one  and  reduced  its  dangers 
seventy-five  per  cent.  Every  hammer  thrower 
can  reduce  the  danger  of  accidents  by  mak- 
ing sure  that  the  handle  is  made  of  the  very 
strongest  kind  of  wire.     The  handle  is  4  feet 


128  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

in  length  over  all,  the  wire  handle  having 
a  double  loop  on  the  end,  made  of  larger 
and  stronger  wire,  with  a  swivel  in  the  head 
of  the  missile  to  prevent  the  breaking  of  the 
handle. 

I  should  advise  the  beginner  to  do  the  same 
sort  of  preliminary  work  as  the  shot  putter. 
Just  as  the  shot  putter  must  learn  how  to  hold 
the  shot  and  to  get  his  weight  behind  it,  so 
must  the  hammer  thrower  learn  to  swing  the 
missile  around  his  head  and  get  the  proper 
elevation  to  it.  To  learn  this  he  should  first 
practise  swinging  the  hammer  about  the  head 
without  making  any  throw.  For  this  exer- 
cise he  should  let  the  hammer  swing  gently 
around  the  head,  making  it  reach  its  highest 
elevation  just  over  the  left  shoulder,  and  the 
lowest  as  it  is  passing  the  right  hip.  Con- 
tinued practice  will  enable  the  beginner  to 
get  the  right  elevation  unconsciously  as  the 
hammer  swings  about  the  head.  Although 
the  finished  hammer  thrower  uses  two  turns 
before  making  the  throw,  the  beginner,  after 
he  has  acquired  the  proper  method  of  whirl- 
ing the  hammer  about  the  head,  should  first 
master   throwing    it    with    the    single    turn. 


THE  HAMMER  THROW  129 

When  he  can  do  this  properly  there  will  be 
time  enough  to  master  the  double  turn.  As 
proficiency  in  making  the  turn  within  a  small 
circle  is  acquired  it  is  possible  to  use  three 
turns,  but  this  should  never  be  attempted 
until  one  has  thoroughly  mastered  the  single 
and  double  turns. 

After  the  athlete  has  learned  how  to  swing 
the  hammer  he  should  practise  releasing  it 
without  making  any  turn.  To  do  this  he 
should  let  the  hammer  whirl  around  the  head 
three  times  and  then  still  without  making 
any  turn  release  it  over  the  left  shoulder.  He 
cannot  begin  too  early  to  master  accuracy  in 
direction.  It  may  take  two  or  three  weeks 
to  learn  how  to  swing  the  hammer  and  release 
it  properly  without  making  a  turn,  but  the 
mastery  of  this  is  essential  and  should  be 
learned  faithfully. 

Next,  the  athlete  is  ready  to  practise  the 
single  turn.  Since  form  is  an  absolute  neces- 
sity, it  is  not  necessary  to  practise  this  within 
the  7-foot  ring.  The  feet  should  be  placed 
about  24  inches  apart,  the  left  foot  thrown 
back  about  6  inches  in  a  parallel  line,  with 
the  right  foot  gripping  the  ground  firmly  and 


ISO  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

the  knees  bent  slightly.  Then  the  hammer 
should  be  swung  three  times  around  the  head, 
the  athlete  pivoting  on  the  left  foot,  care  be- 
ing taken  to  keep  it  firmly  on  the  ground  until 
the  right  foot  is  well  around.  Then  the  left 
foot  leaves  the  ground  for  an  instant  making 
a  small  part  of  the  turn.  At  the  same  instant 
the  right  foot  grips  the  ground  and  the  heave 
is  given  the  hammer,  which  is  thrown  as  high 
as  possible  over  the  left  shoulder.  In  actual 
competition  the  athlete  is  throwing  from  a 
ring  and  the  beginning  of  his  throw  is  made 
with  the  body  facing  opposite  to  the  direction 
of  the  throw.  Thus,  after  having  made  the 
single  turn  the  athlete  will  find  himself  in  vir- 
tually the  same  position  as  that  from  which 
he  started. 

The  turn  should  be  made  quickly  so  that 
the  body  will  be  ahead  of  the  hammer.  If 
the  turn  is  made  slowly  and  the  hammer 
completes  its  circuit  too  quickly  it  will  be  im- 
possible to  get  the  full  strength  of  the  body 
into  the  throw.  Great  care  should  be  taken 
to  make  sure  that  the  weight  is  held  straight 
out  over  the  right  hip  when  making  the  turn 
and  not  to  forget  to  pivot  on  the  left  foot. 


THE  HAMMER  THROW  131 

After  the  athlete  has  learned  to  throw 
fairly  well  with  one  turn  he  should  try  the 
double  turn,  that  is,  to  spin  around  twice  be- 
fore letting  go  of  the  hammer.  Two  turns 
are  made  exactly  like  the  single  turn,  the  pur- 
pose being  to  increase  the  momentum  of  the 
body.  The  athlete's  greatest  difficulty  in 
mastering  the  double  or  single  turn,  as  the 
case  may  be,  will  be  to  stay  within  the  7- 
foot  circle.  Unconsciously,  he  will  find  him- 
self taking  more  room  for  his  turns  than  he 
needs.  In  his  practice  he  will  find  it  a  great 
help  if  he  can  keep  in  his  mind  the  picture 
of  himself  spinning  around  on  some  small  ob- 
ject. I  have  seen  hammer  throwers  who  mas- 
tered the  double  turn  by  trying  to  spin  around 
on  a  penny,  and  have  seen  some  who  could 
execute  the  double  turn  while  using  hardly 
more  than  half  the  circle.  This  is  something 
which  will  come  only  with  practice: 

The  following  general  directions  will  be 
valuable  to  the  beginner: 

(1)  The  leg  which  does  the  throwing  is  the 
right  leg. 

(2)  It  is  the  right  leg  which  goes  around 
the  left,  not  the  left  which  goes  around  the 


132  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

right.  The  left  is  the  pivoting  foot,  and  the 
further  it  is  from  the  right  before  starting 
the  turn,  or  at  any  time  during  the  turn,  the 
longer  it  takes  to  make  this  turn  properly. 

(3)  The  athlete  should  not  make  too  big 
a  turn  or  he  will  find  himself  pulled  off  to  the 
left.  If  he  is  pulled  off  to  the  left  it  is  be- 
cause his  turn  is  too  big  or  because  he  does 
not  come  around  far  enough  on  the  first  turn. 
In  this  case  he  should  draw  the  left  foot  back 
a  little  before  the  start.  This  will  let  the 
hammer  come  around  the  required  distance. 
The  left  foot  must  be  drawn  back  before  the 
hammer  leaves  the  ground  and  never  after 
the  hammer  has  begun  to  swing  around  the 
head.  This  is  a  mistake  which  some  begin- 
ners make. 

(4)  The  athlete  should  grip  the  ground  as 
firmly  as  possible  with  the  left  foot  at  the  end 
of  the  first  turn.  This  foot  should  remain  on 
the  ground  as  much  as  possible  because  it 
holds  the  body  in  the  ring. 

(5)  The  throw  should  be  made  over  and 
not  under  the  left  shoulder,  bearing  in  mind 
that  the  higher  the  throw  without  pulling 
the  body   out  of  the   ring  and  forward  the 


THE  FINAL  SPIN. 

John  Flanagan,  former  world  and  Olympic  champion,  illustrating  the  correct 
method  of  spinning  on  the  left  foot,  getting  the  hammer  fully  extended  and 
yet  keeping  the  body  under  absolute  control  just  before  releasing  the  hammer 
over  the  shoulder. 


THE  HAMMER  THROW  188 

greater  will  be  the  distance  gained  and  the 
less  the  danger  of  fouling. 

(6)  In  starting  the  throw  the  hammer  should 
swing  around  the  head  three  times,  its  mo- 
mentum being  increased  with  each  throw. 

The  hammer  throw  is  an  event  which  I 
would  strongly  recommend  to  all  large  men, 
because  it  makes  them  active  and  quick  on 
their  feet,  besides  being  a  splendid  body  de- 
veloper. In  addition  to  following  closely  the 
instructions  I  have  given  here,  the  beginner 
will  receive  much  assistance  by  observing  the 
form  of  experienced  hammer  throwers,  because 
a  study  of  their  methods  will  frequently  en- 
able one  to  overcome  faults  of  style  uncon- 
sciously acquired. 


CHAPTER  XVI 
THE  DISCUS  THROW 

Throwing  the  discus  is  an  event  which  has 
become  popular  in  this  country  only  since  the 
revival  of  the  Olympic  games.  It  is  an  addi- 
tion to  the  weight-throwing  events  on  our  ath- 
letic programme.  Like  the  hammer  throw,  it 
has  not  gained  a  very  strong  hold  in  schools 
and  colleges  because  of  the  difficulty  in  find- 
ing a  field  large  enough  to  practise  it  faith- 
fully. At  this  writing  the  Inter-Collegiate 
Association  of  Amateur  Athletes  of  America 
has  not  yet  put  it  on  its  championship  pro- 
gramme, although  it  is  one  of  the  events  on 
the  programmes  of  the  Western  Inter-Collegi- 
ate Conference  Association,  the  New  England 
Inter-Collegiate  Association,  and  some  minor 
college  associations. 

Before  one  takes  up  discus  throwing  he 
should  acquaint  himself  with  the  regulation 

134 


THE  DISCUS  THROW  135 

discus  which,  according  to  the  I.  C.  A.  A. 
A.  A.,  must  weigh  not  less  than  4  pounds  6t\ 
ounces.  Its  largest  dimension  is  a  circle  of 
a  diameter  of  not  less  than  8|  inches,  and  not 
more  than  9  inches.  It  must  be  symmetrical 
in  shape,  each  side  being  a  counterpart  of  the 
other  side.  Likewise  it  must  be  smoothly  fin- 
ished, the  surface  and  circumference  having 
no  projecting  points,  indentations,  or  sharp 
edges.  The  discus  thrower  should  make  it  a 
point,  therefore,  to  secure  the  regulation  dis- 
cus, because  I  have  seen  many  records  disal- 
lowed because  the  rules  regarding  the  exact 
weight  and  shape  of  the  discus  were  not  ex- 
actly conformed  to.  The  discus  is  thrown 
from  a  7-foot  circle,  and  the  same  rules  as  to 
fouhng  are  observed  as  in  hammer  throwing 
and  shot  putting.  One  of  the  best  requisites 
of  a  good  discus  thrower  is  to  have  a  big  hand 
with  strong  fingers.  To  hold  it  properly  the 
hand  should  cover  as  much  of  the  outer  sur- 
face of  the  discus  as  possible,  with  the  fingers 
firmly  gripping  the  lower  edge  so  that  when 
it  leaves  the  hand  it  will  skim  along  through 
the  air  with  a  twisting  motion.  Particular 
care  should  be  taken  to  get  the  proper  ele- 


136  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

vation.  If  it  is  too  high  the  discus  will  turn 
broadside  against  the  wind  and  will  tumble 
over  and  over  without  getting  much  distance. 
Ability  to  get  the  correct  elevation  and  to 
start  the  discus  at  the  right  angle  from  the 
hips  is  of  prime  importance. 

To  prepare  for  the  throw  the  athlete  should 
stand  with  the  feet  well  apart,  balancing  the 
body  nicely  on  the  legs  and  with  the  arms 
extended  wide  over  the  hips.  The  discus 
should  be  held  nearly  level.  After  making 
sure  that  it  is  firmly  gripped  it  should  be 
swung  a  few  times  from  left  to  right  so 
that  it  will  have  sufficient  momentum  before 
its  release.  Then  the  athlete  should  pivot 
quickly  on  the  left  foot.  The  instant  the 
right  foot  touches  the  ground  the  heave  is 
made,  the  left  foot  swinging  around  and  strik- 
ing the  ground  so  as  to  keep  the  body  from 
going  out  of  the  ring.  On  this  turn  the  hand 
holding  the  discus  is  held  well  out  over  the 
hips,  and  the  instant  before  it  leaves  the  hand 
it  must  be  pointed  at  just  the  right  angle  to 
make  it  sail  through  the  air. 

The  athlete  should  go  through  a  great  deal 
of  preliminary   training  in  this   event,  first 


e 


>^  W^S0^ 


HURLING   THE   DISCUS. 

John   Garrells,  University  of  Michigan,  former  world's  champion  in  this  event, 
taken  with  every  muscle  under  control  and  concentrated  for  the  final  eflFort. 


THE  DISCUS  THROW  137 

learning  the  proper  way  to  hold  the  discus 
and  then  to  get  elevation  and  distance  without 
making  a  turn. 

It  should  be  remembered  that  the  new  rules 
require  fair  throws  to  be  made  within  a  given 
angle.  This  means  that  direction  is  very  im- 
portant. After  these  points  have  been  mas- 
tered it  will  be  time  enough  to  practise  the 
turn  which  will  greatly  increase  the  distance 
of  the  throw.  Such  men  as  Martin  Sheridan 
and  James  Duncan,  the  two  Americans,  and 
Taipale,  of  Finland,  the  Olympic  champion, 
were  champions  because  they  first  mastered 
the  seemingly  small  points  of  discus  throw- 
ing. After  the  form  has  been  properly  ac- 
quired the  distance  will  take  care  of  itself. 


CHAPTER  XVII 
THE  JAVELIN  THROW 

The  javelin  throw  is  an  event  for  which 
we  are  indebted  to  the  Greeks,  who  made  it 
a  feature  of  the  Olympic  games.  It  is  far 
more  popular  in  the  European  countries  than 
in  the  United  States;  but  within  the  last 
few  years  some  of  our  colleges  and  athletic 
clubs  have  introduced  it,  so  that  it  promises 
to  become  quite  popular,  provided  the  Olympic 
Council  keeps  it  on  the  programme. 

The  javelin  is  made  of  wood,  usually  of  ash 
or  hickory,  the  latter  wood  giving  the  best 
service.  The  official  javelin  is  8  feet  6  inches 
in  length,  and  weighs  1.6  pounds.  It  has  a 
metal  point,  and  about  the  centre  of  gravity 
a  grip  is  formed  by  binding  whip -cord  with- 
out knots.  At  the  grip  the  javelin  is  about 
one  inch  in  diameter,  and  tapers  down  to 
about  one-half  inch  at  the  rear  end. 

138 


THE  JAVELIN  THROW  139 

Unlike  other  weight  events  the  javeHn  does 
not  require  a  ring.  It  is  thrown  at  the  con- 
clusion of  a  free  run,  which  is  taken  just  as 
in  the  running  broad  jump.  This  run  is 
usually  from  15  to  20  yards.  A  line  is  drawn 
back  of  which  the  javelin  must  be  thrown. 
The  length  of  run  allowed  the  competitor  is 
any  distance  he  desires. 

The  final  effort  in  throwing  the  javelin  is 
very  much  like  that  of  putting  the  shot.  In 
this  final  effort  the  body  and  feet  are  reversed 
exactly  as  in  the  shot  put,  the  right  foot  strik- 
ing the  ground  after  the  javelin  is  released. 
Reginners  in  throwing  the  javelin  should 
practise  the  same  preliminary  exercises  I  have 
explained  for  putting  the  shot.  The  first  es- 
sential is  to  master  the  form  without  a  run, 
and  after  that  is  acquired  the  athlete  can 
work  for  distance  and  take  as  long  a  run  as 
he  desires. 

I  am  assuming  that  the  athlete  is  right- 
handed.  The  javelin,  therefore,  should  be 
caught  at  the  grip,  the  thumb  and  Httle  fin- 
ger being  under,  and  the  three  middle  fingers 
on  top.  This  is  the  firmest  way  to  hold  the 
javelin  and  make  sure  of  the  aim  and  direction. 


140  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

Before  he  learns  the  scientific  way  to  throw 
the  javehn,  the  athlete  should  master  a  simple 
throw  without  either  a  run  or  the  reverse  of 
the  body.  As  a  prelimary  the  javelin  should 
be  gripped  in  the  manner  explained.  Then 
the  left  foot  should  be  raised  just  as  in  put- 
ting the  shot,  care  being  taken  to  see  that  the 
body  is  properly  balanced.  The  javelin  is 
then  pointed  upward,  at  an  angle  of  about 
30  degrees,  the  right  arm  holding  the  javelin 
so  that  the  arm  is  almost  parallel  with  it. 
Before  the  throw  begins  the  right  hand  hold- 
ing it  should  be  extended  as  far  back  as  pos- 
sible, so  that  the  full  strength  of  the  right 
arm  and  shoulder  can  be  behind  it.  Beginners 
make  the  mistake  of  discharging  the  javelin 
without  bringing  the  right  arm  all  the  way 
back.  In  this  way  they  necessarily  reduce  the 
distance  of  the  throw. 

After  the  athlete  has  learned  the  proper  way 
to  hold  the  javelin,  he  should  practise  the  re- 
verse. This  is  the  same  exercise  that  is  ex- 
plained in  the  chapter  on  shot  putting.  The 
body  is  turned  quickly  so  that  at  the  end  of 
the  run  the  left  and  right  feet  change  places, 
and  the  javelin  is  discharged  with  the  right 


THE  JAVELIN  THROW  141 

arm  and  foot  forward.  The  beginner  should 
practise  this  until  he  has  completely  mastered 
it,  after  which  he  is  ready  to  practise  the  run. 
Getting  this  run  down  correctly  requires  the 
same  sort  of  preliminary  practise  as  in  the 
case  of  the  running  broad  jump  and  pole- 
vault.  The  athlete  should  run  from  15  to  20 
yards,  the  object  being  to  get  the  maximum 
amount  of  speed,  but  not  so  much  that  he 
loses  control  of  himself  when  the  final  effort 
is  made.  A  little  practice  will  show  the  ath- 
lete the  point  from  which  he  should  start 
his  run,  and  if  this  is  carefully  marked,  he 
will  be  in  no  danger  of  overrunning  the  mark 
from  which  the  throw  is  made. 

I  would  caution  beginners  about  doing  too 
much  at  the  start.  Throwing  the  javelin 
does  not  tire  the  arm  as  quickly  as  putting 
the  shot,  and  the  beginner  may,  therefore, 
be  inclined  to  overdo  his  work  at  the  start. 
The  first  place  to  feel  the  strain  is  in  the  small 
of  the  back,  though  the  shoulder  muscles  are 
also  affected.  The  javelin  is  thrown  over  the 
shoulder  almost  as  one  would  throw  a  base- 
ball. The  thrower  should  never  use  a  side- 
arm  motion,  because  he  will  not  be  able  to 


142  ATHLETIC   TRAINING 

control  the  direction,  in  addition  to  which  he 
will  shorten  the  throw. 

The  javelin  throw  has  unlimited  health- 
giving  possibilities  to  whoever  practises  it 
faithfully.  It  builds  up  the  shoulders  and 
back,  while  the  arms  become  well  developed 
without  becoming  bulky.  If  properly  in- 
dulged in  it  brings  into  play  more  muscles  of 
the  body  than  any  other  exercise  I  know.  It 
furnishes  a  splendid  exercise  for  those  who  do 
not  have  quite  enough  strength  and  weight 
for  throwing  the  hammer  or  putting  the  shot, 
or  who  are  not  properly  adapted  for  track 
events. 

If  used  with  moderation,  I  should  say  that 
it  is  likewise  a  good  exercise  for  girls  and 
young  women. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 
RELAY  RACING 

I  KNOW  of  no  better  agency  in  developing 
track  athletes  than  relay  racing,  a  sport  made 
famous  in  this  country  by  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania's  annual  relay  carnival.  Its 
value  is  greatly  enhanced  because  it  is  pri- 
marily a  splendid  exercise,  it  furnishes  com- 
petition for  a  great  many  runners,  and  is  at- 
tractive to  spectators. 

A  relay  team  is  composed  of  four  runners, 
each  of  whom  runs  the  same  distance,  except 
in  a  medley  contest  in  which,  by  common 
consent,  each  relay  may  be  a  different  distance. 
The  relay  distance  most  popular  in  this  coun- 
try is  the  1-mile,  in  which  each  man  runs 
440  yards.  To  further  vary  the  sport  relay 
races  are  frequently  arranged  for  2  and  4 
miles.  In  the  2-mile  relay  each  runner  goes 
half  a  mile,  and  in  the  4-mile  events  each 
runner  a  mile. 

143 


144  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

The  original  idea  of  a  relay  race  was  the 
carrying  of  a  message,  each  runner  passing  it 
on  to  his  successor.  In  this  way  mails  were 
once  carried  in  the  far  West,  and  messages  have 
been  similarly  relayed  in  times  of  war.  The 
Swedish  Olympic  Committee  made  an  im- 
provement in  the  relay  races  at  the  Olympic 
games  held  at  Stockholm  in  1912.  The  Ameri- 
can college  method  had  always  been  for  each 
runner  to  touch  hands  with  the  man  who  fol- 
lowed. This  touch-off  is  made  within  a  20- 
foot  zone  in  front  of  the  starting  line.  The 
Swedes  improved  upon  this  by  substituting 
for  the  touch-off  the  passing  of  a  baton,  a 
piece  of  wood  about  a  foot  in  length  which 
each  runner  had  to  hand  to  his  successor 
within  the  prescribed  zone.  This  change  did 
away  with  the  problem,  often  difficult,  of  de- 
termining whether  or  not  a  runner  was  ac- 
tually "touched  off"  by  his  predecessor.  It 
likewise  revised  the  original  idea  of  carrying 
a  message.  The  American  athletes  at  Stock- 
holm were  unfamiliar  with  this  sort  of  relay 
racing,  and  the  400-metre  team  was  disquali- 
fied in  the  trials  for  failure  to  pass  the  baton 
within   the   prescribed   zone.     With   a   little 


RELAY  RACING  145 

practice  the  1,600-metre  team  developed  suf- 
ficient skill  to  transfer  the  baton  properly,  and 
won  easily.  The  substitution  of  the  baton 
for  the  touch-off  has  been  adopted  by  the 
Inter-Collegiate  Association  of  Amateur  Ath- 
letes of  America  and  looks  like  a  permanent 
change  and  a  good  one. 

Since  I  have  already  explained  in  the  fore- 
going chapters  how  to  train  for  the  quarter- 
mile,  the  half-mile,  and  mile  runs,  which  form 
the  basis  for  most  relay  racing,  I  need  not 
refer  to  this  phase  of  training  here.  The  bet- 
ter one  can  run  these  distances  the  more  val- 
uable will  he  be  to  his  relay  team. 

Relay  races  are  frequently  won  or  lost  by 
a  poor  arrangement  of  the  runners  or  poor 
work  in  touching  off  or  passing  the  baton. 
There  is  no  set  rule  to  be  followed  in  arrang- 
ing runners  according  to  their  speed.  On 
more  than  one  occasion  I  have  rearranged  the 
order  of  a  team  during  the  progress  of  the 
race;  but  as  a  general  rule  it  is  best  to  re- 
serve the  fastest  man  for  the  last  relay,  using 
the  next  fastest  for  the  first  and  sandwiching 
the  slower  men  in  on  the  second  and  third 
relays.     This   arrangement  is  based  on  the 


146  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

theory  that  it  is  best  to  start  the  race  with 
a  man  who  can  hand  over  a  lead  to  a  sHghtly 
slower  runner.  If  the  slower  man  gets  the 
start  he  will  not  be  bothered  with  having  to 
fight  his  way  through  a  number  of  runners, 
and  the  chances  are  that  he  and  his  successor, 
who  is  likely  to  be  a  man  of  about  the  same 
speed,  can  give  their  last  runner  at  least  an 
even  start.  It  frequently  happens  that  it  is 
a  good  thing  to  put  the  fastest  man  on  the 
third  relay  to  run  his  opponents  off  their  feet 
and  give  the  last  man  a  substantial  lead. 

One  of  the  most  common  mistakes  relay 
runners  make  is  that  of  starting  off  with  too 
great  speed,  particularly  if  an  opponent  has 
been  given  a  slight  start.  A  relay  runner, 
above  all  others,  should  be  a  good  judge  of 
pace.  In  particular,  he  should  avoid  running 
himself  off  his  feet  in  the  first  200  yards.  The 
excitement  of  the  race  will  probably  carry 
him  a  little  faster  than  he  has  been  accus- 
tomed to  run,  but  he  should  take  care  that  it 
be  not  at  a  100-yard  pace,  and  he  should  re- 
member that  it  is  not  necessary  to  overtake 
his  man  within  the  first  150  yards.  I  have 
seen  a  great  many  races  lost  because  one  of 


RELAY  RACING  147 

the  intermediate  runners  ran  himself  off  his 
feet  in  the  first  part  of  his  race  and  then  lost 
so  much  distance  in  the  last  100  yards  that 
his  team  was  hopelessly  beaten.  This  advice 
about  the  arrangement  of  runners  applies  also 
to  the  2  and  4  mile  relays,  though  not  with 
as  much  force  as  for  the  1-mile  event. 

All  relay  runners  should  take  particular 
care  to  master  the  art  of  touching  off  or  of 
passing  the  baton,  whichever  is  used.  For 
the  purpose  of  transferring  the  baton  a  20- 
foot  zone  is  marked  off  in  front  of  the  start- 
ing line,  and  the  transfer  may  be  made  at  any 
point  within  this  zone.  Under  no  circum- 
stances is  the  runner  allowed  to  run  back  to 
meet  his  team-mate;  but  he  should  be  in 
motion  forward  when  his  team-mate  finishes 
so  that  he  will  lose  no  time  in  getting  away. 

All  the  rules  of  track  racing  which  I  have 
already  mentioned  apply  to  the  relay.  A 
good  start  is  worth  everything,  particularly 
in  a  mile  relay.  To  get  the  pole  means  a 
great  deal,  but  the  runner  should  not  risk 
having  his  team  disqualified  by  committing 
a  foul  at  the  start.  At  the  same  time,  he 
should  be  wide-awake  and  not  permit  him- 


148  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

self  to  be  crowded  to  the  rear  on  the  first  turn. 
I  have  seen  more  than  one  relay  team  beaten 
because  of  this  lack  of  aggressiveness  on  the 
part  of  the  first  runner. 


CHAPTER  XIX 
THE  ATHLETIC  HEART 

Although  we  hear  less  about  it  now  than 
we  once  did,  nearly  every  athlete  will  be 
told  at  one  time  or  another  that  participa- 
tion in  athletics  is  likely  to  shorten  his  life— 
that  it  will  give  him  the  "athletic  heart/' 
By  this  is  meant  that  such  exercises  as  run- 
ning, jumping,  and  rowing  will  increase  the 
size  of  the  heart  to  such  an  extent  that  it 
will  be  a  menace  to  the  health  in  after  life. 
This  is  a  belief  held  by  a  good  many  well- 
meaning  persons,  and  I  wish  to  discuss  it  in 
an  unprejudiced  manner. 

Of  course  there  are  some  boys  and  young 
men  with  physical  defects  who  ought  never 
to  take  part  in  vigorous  athletics.  The  ad- 
vice of  a  competent  physician  should  always 
be  secured  in  such  cases.  But  if  a  boy  is 
physically  sound  he  has  nothing  to  fear,  but 

149 


150  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

everything  to  gain,  from  athletic  competition. 
Indeed,  I  have  seen  so  many  cases  in  which 
weak  and  undeveloped  boys  and  young  men 
have  become  strong  and  well  through  ath- 
letics that  I  know  the  dangers  of  the  so-called 
athletic  heart  have  been  terribly  exaggerated. 

What  convinces  me  more  than  ever  of  the 
soundness  of  my  contention  is  that  I  have 
never  known  a  single  athlete  whom  I  have 
trained  or  with  whom  I  have  worked,  either 
in  professional  or  amateur  athletics,  who  died 
from  what  some  physicians  term  the  athletic 
heart.  In  my  younger  days  I  trained  many 
of  the  best  long-distance  walkers  and  runners, 
men  who  ran  or  walked  from  sixty  to  seventy 
miles  a  day  in  preparation  for  their  athletic 
contests.  If  the  declaration  of  those  who  be- 
lieve in  the  dangers  of  the  athletic  heart  were 
to  be  accepted,  most  of  these  men  should  have 
dropped  dead  on  the  street  long  ago.  But  the 
fact  is  that  many  of  them  are  now  between 
sixty  and  seventy  years  of  age  and  in  perfect 
health.  I  have  not  been  able  to  trace  one 
death  to  the  athletic  heart. 

The  heart  is  an  automatic  organ,  and  as 
such  it  more  readily  adjusts  itself  to  the  strain 


THE  ATHLETIC  HEART  151 

put  upon  it  than  any  other  part  of  the  body. 
Naturally,  constant  exercise,  such  as  running 
and  rowing,  will  enlarge  the  heart,  but  it  is  an 
enlargement  which  takes  place  gradually  and 
in  the  same  proportion  that  the  other  organs 
of  the  body  are  enlarged.  The  larger  and 
stronger  the  heart  the  slower  will  be  its  beats. 
In  other  words,  a  heart  with  a  pulse-beat  of 
60  to  the  minute  will  do  the  same  amount  of 
work  as  another  heart  with  a  pulse-beat  of  72. 
But  why  should  one  be  concerned  if  his  heart, 
beating  60  times  to  the  minute,  sends  the  same 
amount  of  blood  through  his  arteries  as  his 
comrade's  heart,  beating  72  to  the  minute.? 

In  proof  of  my  theory  let  me  quote  the 
results  of  some  experiments  which  I  made 
with  one  of  the  most  famous  heart  and  lung 
specialists  in  the  United  States.  Our  pur- 
pose was  to  determine  the  immediate  effects 
of  vigorous  competition  upon  two  classes  of 
men,  the  trained  athlete  and  the  untrained 
student.  First,  we  took  a  trained  champion 
mile  walker.  The  physician  drew  a  diagram 
of  the  man's  heart  on  his  chest,  then  this 
man  walked  a  mile  in  7  minutes.  His  heart 
was  examined  immediately  afterward.     The 


152  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

examination  showed  that  the  heart  had  ex- 
panded three-eighths  of  an  inch.  Next  we 
took  a  student  who  had  had  no  athletic  train- 
ing, and  we  walked  him  half  a  mile  in  6 
minutes,  hardly  half  the  speed  of  his  prede- 
cessor. His  heart  was  similarly  examined,  and 
at  the  conclusion  of  his  half-mile  walk  we 
found  that  his  heart  had  expanded  1^  inches 
— ^more  than  double  the  expansion  noticed  in 
the  heart  of  the  trained  athlete.  We  per- 
formed a  similar  experiment  with  a  trained 
mile  runner  who  ran  a  mile  in  five  minutes 
and  an  untrained  student  who  ran  half  a  mile 
in  three  minutes.  The  results  were  virtually 
the  same. 

Next  we  took  a  short-distance  man  who 
had  been  in  training  for  two  seasons.  A  fast 
run  of  150  yards  hardly  affected  his  heart  at 
all,  while  a  run  of  the  same  distance  at  no 
more  than  three-fourths  of  this  speed  com- 
pletely exhausted  a  man  who  had  done  no 
athletic  training.  During  our  investigations' 
we  noted  the  effects  upon  the  men  who  were 
addicted  to  the  use  of  cigarettes,  and  we  found 
that  the  effects  of  brief  but  vigorous  exercise 
upon  the  untrained  athlete  who  smoked,  and 


THE  ATHLETIC  HEART  153 

the  one  who  did  not  were  far  more  distressing 
to  the  former. 

I  have  made  a  very  careful  study  of  this 
question  from  the  standpoint  of  medicine  and 
appHed  athletics.  Not  only  have  I  kept  a 
careful  record  of  the  effects  which  athletic 
competition  has  upon  the  average  boy,  but  I 
have  obtained  the  testimony  of  athletes  who 
were  also  physicians.  The  consensus  of  their 
testimony  is  that  the  athlete  who  takes  good 
care  of  himself  and  does  not  acquire  the  habits 
of  drinking  and  cigarette  smoking  has  abso- 
lutely no  reason  to  fear  any  evil  after  effects 
from  the  so-called  athletic  heart.  On  the 
contrary,  a  system  of  sane  athletic  work  is 
sure  to  strengthen  the  heart  and  make  it 
less  liable  to  injuries  from  sudden  strain  put 
upon  it  or  from  excitement. 

I  have  had  occasion  to  examine  a  good 
many  former  athletes  from  ten  to  twenty 
years  after  their  active  participation  had 
ceased.  I  have  always  examined  these  men 
with  some  eagerness  in  order  to  learn  what 
effects  their  withdrawal  from  athletics  had 
had  upon  their  hearts  and  constitutions  gen- 
erally.    And  I  have  yet  to  find  a  single  case 


154  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

in  which  an  athlete  who  had  a  good  heart 
when  he  was  actively  competing,  and  who 
lived  a  clean  and  sensible  life  after  giving 
up  his  athletics,  had  the  slightest  complaint 
to  make  of  trouble  with  his  heart.  But  I 
have  met  scores  and  scores  of  athletes  who 
said  that  they  owed  the  healthy  condition 
of  their  bodies  to  the  athletic  life  they  lived 
in  school,  college,  or  club,  and  the  lessons 
they  learned  from  it. 

The  principal  danger  an  athlete  must  avoid 
is  that  of  giving  up  his  athletics  too  suddenly, 
living  an  indoor  and  sedentary  life  without 
taking  the  proper  amount  of  exercise.  Every 
man,  whether  he  has  been  an  athlete  or  not, 
ought  to  take  a  reasonable  amount  of  exercise. 
I  have  always  advised  my  athletes  not  to  give 
up  their  athletics  immediately,  but  to  indulge 
moderately  in  the  same  or  a  similar  kind  of 
exercise  to  which  they  have  been  accustomed. 

This  brings  me  to  a  discussion  of  the  per- 
sonal habits  which  athletes  should  have.  In 
order  to  win  success  on  the  athletic  field  and 
to  lay  a  foundation  for  a  good  constitution, 
there  are  two  important  rules  which  should 
be  observed: 


THE  ATHLETIC  HEART  155 

(1)  Do  not  smoke.  If  one  has  acquired  the 
habit  of  smoking  let  it  be  confined  to  a  cigar 
or  a  pipe,  but  neither  of  these  should  be  in- 
dulged in  during  the  training  period,  and  one 
will  be  far  better  off  never  to  cultivate  the 
habit,  and  if  it  has  been  started  to  break  it 
if  possible.  I  hate  cigarettes,  for  I  have  seen 
many  boys  and  young  men  ruined  by  them. 
There  is  not  a  single  good  thing  which  can 
be  said  in  their  behalf.  Shun  them  as  you 
would  a  deadly  poison.  I  could  relate  a  good 
many  incidents  in  which  boys  and  young  men 
seriously  injured  their  lives  through  cigar- 
ettes. An  athlete  is  the  last  person  in  the 
world  who  should  smoke  cigarettes,  either  in 
training  or  out  of  training. 

I  know  that  some  athletes  indulge  in  cig- 
arettes during  their  training,  and  some  are 
foolhardy  enough  to  insist  that  they  are  not 
injured  thereby.  It  is  true  that  some  ath- 
letes do  smoke  and  continue  to  win,  but  in 
such  cases  they  win  in  spite  of  the  injury 
smoking  does  to  the  constitution.  Such  per- 
sons should  consider  how  much  better  they 
would  be  if  they  refrained  from  smoking. 
Since  the  revival  of  the  Olympic  games  I  knew 


156  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

one  American  boy  who  was  a  champion  here, 
but  who  was  beaten  in  an  important  Olympic 
final  simply  because  he  had  contracted  the 
habit  of  smoking  cigarettes  and  was  so  vain 
of  his  ability  as  to  believe  that  he  could  win 
in  spite  of  it.  He  was  warned  often  enough, 
but  it  required  Nature  herself  to  show  him 
what  a  fool  he  had  been. 

(2)  Do  not  use  any  kind  of  alcoholic  drink. 
No  man  needs  it,  and  no  athlete  who  hopes 
to  be  a  champion  can  aflford  to  indulge  in  it 
in  any  form.  Alcohol  is  a  poison.  It  makes 
all  the  muscles  of  the  body  flabby  and  coun- 
teracts the  good  of  physical  exercise.  An 
athlete  who  uses  alcohol  is  simply  tearing 
down  with  one  hand  what  he  builds  up  with 
the  other  through  his  exericse.  It  is  a  habit 
which  grows  stronger  and  stronger  with  use 
and,  unless  it  is  broken  up  immediately,  it 
will  eventually  ruin  the  constitution  of  the 
strongest  man.  I  always  say  to  the  man  who 
cannot  give  up  his  habits  of  drink  and  to- 
bacco that  the  athletic  field  is  no  place  for 
him. 

In  my  career  I  have  encountered  many  men 
who  were  supposed  to  have   heart   trouble, 


THE  ATHLETIC  HEART  157 

but  who  through  a  system  of  sane  athletics 
entirely  overcame  it.  Some  years  ago  while 
at  Yale  I  had  among  the  candidates  for  the 
track  team  a  youngster  whose  doctor  had 
told  him  his  heart  was  in  bad  condition  and 
that  if  he  took  any  kind  of  athletic  exercise 
he  was  likely  to  drop  dead.  He  had  a  mind 
of  his  own  and  a  theory  that  some  kind  of 
exercise  would  benefit  him.  He  wanted  to 
try  for  the  half-mile  run,  but  I  feared  this 
exercise  would  be  too  violent  for  him  in  his 
present  condition.  I  persuaded  him  to  try 
for  the  mile  walk,  which  would  give  him  plenty 
of  exercise  but  which  he  could  drop  at  any  time. 
He  did  not  have  very  much  success  with  this 
event  but  later  began  to  train  for  the  high 
jump.  With  this  event  he  made  phenomenal 
progress,  and  at  one  of  the  intercollegiate 
championships  he  did  6  feet  2  inches.  He  kept 
up  his  work  after  college,  and  when  the  war 
with  Spain  broke  out  joined  the  Rough  Riders 
and  was  one  of  the  first  men  over  the  breast- 
works at  San  Juan.  The  point  I  make  about 
this  incident  is  that  this  boy,  instead  of  being 
killed  by  athletics,  was  completely  made  over 
by  them.     Possibly  his  heart  was  in  poor  con- 


158  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

dition  when  he  reported  to  me,  but  so  was 
every  other  organ  in  his  body.  What  he 
needed  was  some  exercise  to  tone  him  up. 
And  this  is  about  all  the  treatment  a  great 
many  other  persons  need  who  imagine  that 
any  kind  of  athletic  competition  will  be  fatal 
to  them. 

Several  years  before  this  I  had  another  case. 
I  was  training  a  couple  of  men  in  whom  a 
friend  of  mine  was  interested.  This  friend 
frequented  the  training-grounds  a  great  deal 
and  continually  complained  of  a  pain  in  his 
left  side.  He  had  been  told  that  he  had 
heart  trouble  and  that,  in  consequence,  he 
must  not  take  any  violent  exercise.  His 
father  and  brother  had  dropped  dead  from 
heart-disease,  and  he  expected  the  same  fate. 
I  induced  him  to  begin  an  easy  course  of  ex- 
ercise. At  first  it  was  confined  to  short  walks. 
Next  I  persuaded  him  to  limit  his  smoking 
to  two  cigars  a  day  and  to  live  the  simple  life, 
eating  only  such  food  as  could  be  had  at  our 
training-table.  The  change  in  his  condition 
was  remarkable.  After  a  few  weeks  of  this 
life  he  had  no  pain  in  his  side,  and  he  could 
walk  as  far  as  any  of  us  without  feeling  any 


THE  ATHLETIC  HEART  159 

distress.  What  he  did  was  to  get  rid  of  a 
case  of  chronic  indigestion,  which  was  the 
source  of  all  his  trouble.  For  years  afterward 
he  enjoyed  the  best  of  health. 

I  am  not  quoting  these  instances  to  make 
light  of  real  heart  trouble,  but  I  do  contend 
that  a  great  many  persons  who  imagine  they 
are  suffering  from  heart  trouble  are  in  real- 
ity suffering  only  from  indigestion,  too  much 
eating  and  drinking,  and  not  enough  exercise. 
If  every  person  could  be  induced  to  live  a 
normal,  healthy,  athletic  life  half  the  doctors 
and  hospitals  in  the  country  would  go  out  of 
existence. 


CHAPTER  XX 

INJURIES— THEIR  PREVENTION 
AND  TREATMENT 

Throughout  this  book  I  have  constantly 
cautioned  against  overindulgence  in  athlet- 
ics, too  severe  a  course  of  work  at  the  be- 
ginning of  one's  training,  and  competition 
when  not  in  good  physical  condition.  The 
object  of  these  warnings  is  to  prevent  unnec- 
essary injuries.  It  has  been  my  experience 
that  the  majority  of  strains  and  injuries  re- 
ceived in  athletics  are  the  result  of  careless- 
ness or  overwork.  If  an  athlete  thoroughly 
understood  his  event  in  advance,  knew  his 
own  physical  weaknesses,  and  trained  with 
common  sense,  he  might  engage  in  athletics 
for  years  without  suffering  any  serious  injury, 
But  because  athletes  will  not  do  this  they  are 
frequently  bothered  with  sore  muscles,  strains, 
and  other  injuries  which,  while  not  necessa- 

160 


INJURIES  161 

rily  serious,  are  annoying  and  interfere  with 
training. 

The  most  common  injury  from  which  run- 
ners and  hurdlers  suffer  is  sore  shins.  When 
the  novice  begins  his  athletic  training  his  tend- 
ency is  to  overwork,  and  if  he  is  a  runner, 
particularly  a  distance  man,  the  calves  of  his 
legs  will  become  very  sore  during  the  first 
few  weeks.  This  is  something  which  cannot 
be  prevented  in  the  case  of  a  beginner,  but 
if  he  works  easily  at  the  start,  and  when  the 
muscles  become  sore  rests  a  day  or  two,  he 
will  gradually  work  out  this  soreness.  The 
man  who  has  had  several  years  of  running 
experience  will  likewise  be  troubled  with  sore 
leg  muscles  during  his  preliminary  training, 
but  it  will  not  be  so  severe  as  in  the  case  of 
the  beginner. 

If  the  runner  has  the  services  of  a  trainer 
and  rubber  he  will  be  properly  cared  for;  but 
the  boy  who  has  no  trainer  can  look  after 
himself  quite  as  well  if  he  uses  common  sense. 
He  should  observe  carefully  what  I  have  said 
about  cleanliness  and  bathing  after  every 
work-out,  and  he  can  work  the  soreness  out 
of  his  muscles  to  a  great  extent  if,  after  his 


162  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

training  and  bath,  he  will  briskly  massage  the 
muscles  of  the  legs,  not  neglecting  the  thighs. 
The  purpose  of  this  is  to  keep  the  muscles 
loose  and  pliable.  In  case  they  are  very  sore 
it  would  be  well  to  massage  them  a  little  be- 
fore going  on  the  track.  The  principal  thing 
to  be  borne  in  mind  in  addition  to  the  treat- 
ment I  have  prescribed  is  to  give  the  muscles 
their  necessary  rest.  The  athlete  will  make 
haste  slowly  if  he  endeavors  to  keep  on  train- 
ing when  it  pains  him  much  to  use  his  legs. 

Sore  shins  are  the  bane  of  all  good  distance 
runners  and  of  most  hurdlers.  They  are 
caused  by  an  inflammation  'of  the  muscles 
attached  to  the  shin-bone.  In  the  case  o^ 
distance  runners  they  are  usually  caused  by 
pounding  too  hard  on  the  track  or  running  on 
hard  pavements.  The  beginner  will  escape 
such  injuries  if  he  can  run  on  the  turf  at  the 
beginning  of  his  training,  or,  better  yet,  begins 
work  in  tennis  shoes.  Likewise,  he  should 
heed  the  warning  that  pain  in  these  parts  gives 
him.  The  best  cure  for  sore  shins  is  rest,  and 
if  this  is  taken  at  the  beginning  of  practice  the 
soreness  will  gradually  disappear.  But  if  the 
athlete  attempts  to  force  things  at  the  start 


INJUBIES  163 

he  will  develop  a  case  of  inflamed  shin-bones 
which  may  compel  him  to  give  up  all  running. 
When  this  soreness  begins  to  appear  it  will  be 
greatly  relieved  by  the  application  of  hot- 
water  bandages  put  on  as  hot  as  they  can 
be  borne.  In  severe  cases  a  rubber  bandage 
will  help,  and  in  the  absence  of  the  trainer  it 
will  be  well  to  consult  a  physician. 

The  worst  injury  which  a  sprinter  can  sus- 
tain is  a  pulled  tendon,  by  which  is  meant  a 
strain  between  the  two  heads  of  the  biceps 
muscles  in  the  back  of  the  leg.  A  sprinter 
will  know  quickly  enough  if  he  pulls  a  ten- 
don, for  if  it  comes  in  the  course  of  a  race  it 
will  throw  him.  In  any  event  he  will  not  be 
able  to  walk  on  this  leg,  and  he  should  rest 
it  immediately,  using  a  crutch  if  it  is  neces- 
sary to  get  about.  Of  course  he  will  have 
to  give  up  all  training  until  it  is  thoroughly 
cured,  and  it  is  very  seldom  that  such  an  in- 
jury can  be  permanently  cured  without  a  rest 
of  six  months  or  more.  In  the  event  of  such 
an  injury  the  athlete  should  consult  a  phy- 
sician. 

Although  I  have  had  a  number  of  such 
breakdowns,  I  have  always  contended  that  a 


164  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

pulled  tendon  is  avoidable.  Usually  it  is  the 
penalty  which  an  athlete  pays  for  entering  a 
race  either  without  proper  training  or  too  early 
in  the  season.  The  man  who  attempts  to  race 
during  the  cold  or  damp  weather,  or  who  sits 
down  on  the  ground  before  a  race,  is  usually 
the  one  who  has  to  pay  the  penalty  of  a 
breakdown.  Nine-tenths  of  such  injuries  are 
the  result  of  the  carelessness  I  have  referred  to. 
It  frequently  happens  that  the  athlete  re- 
ceives warning  of  the  impending  breakdown 
by  a  severe  pain  in  these  muscles,  as  though 
they  were  being  unduly  stretched.  He  should 
heed  this  warning  immediately.  Supporting 
the  muscles  with  adhesive  tape,  supplemented 
by  a  rest,  will  frequently  bring  the  leg  around 
all  right  in  a  few  days.  Applications  of  hot 
water  before  retiring  are  very  good  for  this 
pain.  It  is  best  for  the  athlete  to  sit  in  a 
tub  of  water  as  hot  as  he  can  endure  for  a 
few  minutes  at  night,  which  will  probably 
greatly  reduce  the  pain. 


CHAPTER  XXI 
FOOTBALL  INJURIES 

If  American  college  football  were  of  a 
more  stable  quality,  and  not  subject  to  radical 
changes  in  the  rules  every  year,  it  would  be 
possible  for  me  to  devote  some  portion  of  this 
book  to  the  methods  of  preparation  for  this 
game,  because  at  Pennsylvania  and  Yale  I 
was  constantly  associated  with  the  football 
coaching.  But  I  have  had  so  many  requests 
of  late  years  for  information  as  to  my  methods 
of  treating  football  injuries  that  I  shall  de- 
vote a  portion  of  this  chapter  to  the  latter 
subject. 

I  have  very  little  sympathy  with  those  who 
attack  football  as  a  brutal  and  dangerous 
game.  It  is  true  that  at  one  time  the  game 
was  more  productive  of  injuries  than  it  is 
now,  but  by  far  the  great  majority  of  those 
injuries  were  due  to  carelessness  and  other 

165 


166  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

preventable  causes.  Football  is  a  strenuous 
game,  I  know,  but  under  the  new  rules,  and 
when  men  are  properly  trained,  the  possibil- 
ity of  injuries  is  reduced  to  a  minimum.  I 
have  always  contended  that  with  the  super- 
vision football  receives  at  the  big  universi- 
ties it  can  be  played  with  virtually  no  serious 
risk.  In  proof  of  this  let  me  point  to  the  fact 
that  there  has  never  been  a  fatal  injury  among 
the  thousands  of  men  who  have  played  the 
game  at  Harvard,  Yale,  Pennsylvania,  Prince- 
ton, and  Cornell.  The  few  fatal  accidents,  as 
well  as  nearly  all  the  serious  injuries  which 
can  be  traced  to  football,  are  due  to  negli- 
gence on  the  part  of  players  and  coaches. 
The  most  prolific  cause  of  injuries  is  that 
players  will  participate  in  games  without  suf- 
ficient training  or  when  in  an  injured  condi- 
tion. I  have  always  avoided  accidents  by 
refusing  to  let  a  boy  or  young  man  play  un- 
less he  was  thoroughly  trained  and  free  from 
minor  injuries.  Another  frequent  cause  of  in- 
juries is  the  practice  of  letting  immature  boys 
play  against  teams  out  of  their  class.  Such 
meetings  are  certain  to  result  in  injuries,  and 
from  my  experience  I  know  that  practically 


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FOOTBALL  INJURIES  167 

all  of  the  injuries  and  the  few  fatalities  attrib- 
uted to  football  could  have  been  avoided  by 
using  ordinary  common  sense  such  as  I  have 
indicated.  Precisely  as  I  pointed  out  in  dis- 
cussing the  treatment  of  injuries  among  track 
athletes,  the  great  majority  of  injuries  in  foot- 
ball can  also  be  avoided  by  the  use  of  care 
and  common  sense.  No  person  should  par- 
ticipate in  a  football  game  until  he  has  been 
in  training  long  enough  for  his  muscles  to  be 
properly  hardened  and  for  his  endurance  to 
be  well  developed.  Not  only  this,  but  a 
player  should  be  taken  out  of  the  game 
when  he  is  exhausted.  It  is  at  such  times 
that  nine-tenths  of  the  injuries  are  re- 
ceived. 

As  long  as  football  remains  a  game  in 
which  there  is  so  much  physical  contact,  those 
who  play  it  will  be  subject  to  the  usual  num- 
ber of  minor  injuries.  If  what  I  have  said 
about  physical  condition  is  observed  and  the 
right  kind  of  costume  worn,  most  of  these  acci- 
dents can  be  prevented.  I  am  a  strong  be- 
liever in  plenty  of  padding,  which  should  be 
placed  beneath  the  suits  rather  than  sewed 
on  the  outside. 


168  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

Among  the  injuries  attributed  to  football 
the  most  common,  especially  among  young 
boys,  is  the  wrenched  or  sprained  ankle.  It 
should  always  be  attended  to  promptly,  be- 
cause the  more  the  boy  tries  to  work  it  off 
the  longer  time  it  will  require  to  heal.  When 
this  injury  is  received  the  athlete  should  he 
down  at  once,  take  off  his  shoe,  and  if  there  is 
any  one  present  who  knows  how  to  strap  an 
ankle  with  surgeon's  plaster  this  should  be 
done  immediately.  The  plaster  should  be  put 
on  smoothly  so  that  it  will  give  the  proper 
support  to  the  ankle  and  bone.  It  is  not 
necessary  to  have  the  plaster  put  on  too 
tightly,  but  if  it  is  done  before  the  ankle  has 
had  a  chance  to  swell  it  will  heal  much  more 
quickly.  The  athlete  should  be  taken  home 
as  quickly  as  possible  and  the  foot  rested  by 
placing  it  on  a  pillow,  the  knee  and  ankle 
being  slightly  elevated.  In  case  there  is  a 
throbbing  pain  the  plaster  should  be  slit  where 
the  folds  are  too  tight.  If  it  is  impossible  to 
have  the  ankle  strapped  at  once  it  should  be 
put  in  a  tight  supporting  bandage  until  bed- 
time. Then  the  foot  should  be  elevated  a 
little  and  put  on  an  ice-bag,  or  if  this  is  not 


FOOTBALL  INJURIES  169 

available  it  should  be  wrapped  in  a  wet  cloth. 
Lead-water  and  laudanum  is  a  very  good  solu- 
tion to  use,  while  a  flannel  cloth  dipped  in  a 
solution  of  common  Epsom  salts  will  be  found 
beneficial.  In  this  condition  the  ankle  needs 
plenty  of  rest,  and  the  athlete  should  keep  off 
his  foot  until  the  swelling  has  gone  down.  It 
will  always  be  found  that  hot  water  is  the  best 
preliminary  treatment  for  any  kind  of  a  wrench 
or  sprain,  and  when  the  ankle  is  being  bathed 
in  hot  water  the  leg  should  be  kept  elevated 
because  it  will  more  quickly  reduce  the  swell- 
ing. The  foregoing  is  the  best  method  of 
treatment  I  know  of  for  a  sprained  ankle, 
whether  it  is  received  in  athletics  or  other- 
wise. 

The  most  serious  injury  is  the  wrenched 
knee,  and  in  the  event  of  such  an  accident 
the  athlete  should  lie  down  immediately  so 
that  he  may  have  the  proper  rest.  It  should 
receive  about  the  same  treatment  I  have  pre- 
scribed for  the  wrenched  ankle,  always  bear- 
ing in  mind  that  serious  results  may  follow  it 
if  not  immediately  and  properly  attended  to. 
Unless  one  has  a  very  experienced  trainer  a 
doctor  should  be  consulted  at  once.     In  the 


170  ATHLETIC  TBAINING 

meantime  the  knee  should  be  strapped  tightly 
with  surgeon's  plaster  from  two  inches  below 
the  joint  to  at  least  four  inches  above.  The 
knee  should  then  be  rested  on  a  pillow  with 
the  leg  slightly  elevated.  The  strapping 
should  begin  and  end  at  the  hamstring  mus- 
cles. If  for  any  reason  the  knee  cannot  be 
strapped  immediately,  it  should  be  bathed 
with  plenty  of  hot  water.  Sufficient  time 
should  be  taken  for  this  because  the  more  it 
is  bathed  the  better.  The  hot-water  appli- 
cation should  be  varied  with  an  ice-bag  put 
on  the  knee,  or  in  the  absence  of  an  ice-bag 
a  flannel  cloth  kept  wet  should  be  applied. 
Every  precaution  must  be  taken  not  to  bend 
the  knee.  As  soon  as  the  swelling  has  gone  the 
knee  should  be  bound  up  again  carefully.  It 
will  be  very  weak  when  first  used,  and  at  that 
time  the  slightest  strain  will  injure  it  again. 
For  the  first  few  days  crutches  should  be  used, 
or  if  they  cannot  be  secured  a  heavy  cane  will 
do.  I  would  caution  the  athlete  not  to  try 
to  walk  without  first  having  the  knee  well 
bandaged.  This  will  reduce  the  water  upon 
the  joint  and  at  the  same  time  give  it  a  firm 
support.     A  rubber  bandage  worn  for  some 


FOOTBALL  INJURIES  171 

time  after  the  injury  will  help  the  knee  to  re- 
gain its  strength. 

If  one  is  a  half-back  or  an  end-rush  he  will 
have  to  guard  continually  against  injury  to  the 
thigh.  This  results  from  a  blow  to  the  front 
side  of  the  upper  bone  of  the  leg  and  becomes 
very  painful  if  the  muscle  is  hit  often.  Hot 
water  is  best  for  such  a  hurt,  and  at  night  a 
wet  towel  may  be  wrapped  around  the  leg 
and  tied  with  a  bandage.  One  suffering  from 
such  an  injury  should  under  no  circumstances 
attempt  to  play  until  the  muscle  is  thoroughly 
healed.  It  is  an  injury  exceedingly  hard  to 
treat  because  of  the  difficulty  in  making  a 
bandage  stay  in  place.  A  bandage  of  lint 
dipped  in  lead-water  and  laudanum  or  com- 
mon Epsom  salts  is  as  good  as  anything  I 
know  of  for  such  an  injury.  When  the  player 
returns  to  the  game  the  leg  should  be  well 
protected  with  padding  inside  the  trousers. 

Another  injury  hard  to  treat  and  guard 
against  is  that  of  the  shoulder  jumping  out  of 
place.  Once  this  has  happened  to  an  ath- 
lete he  must  look  for  its  return  any  time.  In 
the  course  of  my  experience  I  have  used  every 
kind  of  brace  or  support  known  to  prevent 


172  ATHLETIC  TRAINING 

this  injury.  Sometimes  I  have  been  able  to 
carry  a  man  through  the  season  without  its 
return,  but  when  I  did  so  it  was  purely  luck. 
When  the  injury  occurs  a  doctor  should  be 
secured  to  put  the  arm  back  into  place;  any 
other  person  would  be  likely  to  further  in- 
jure it. 

The  best  treatment  for  the  arm  is  to  wrap 
it  in  cotton  lint  dipped  in  lead-water  and 
laudanum  and  to  put  it  in  a  sling  for  four 
or  five  days.  This  will  enable  the  arm  to 
rest  easily  without  the  continual  ache.  For 
the  bruised  part  on  the  top  of  the  shoulder 
lead-water  and  laudanum  should  be  used. 
Before  this  the  shoulder  should  have  been 
bathed  with  hot  water;  then  a  wet  cloth 
covered  with  oiled  paper  should  be  applied 
to  reduce  the  inflammation  and  keep  the 
moisture  in. 

The  arm  should  be  given  plenty  of  rest, 
and  when  the  injury  has  healed  enough  to 
let  the  athlete  start  work  again  pads  should 
be  worn  so  that  the  sore  spot  will  not  be  eas- 
ily hurt.  This  can  best  be  done  by  making 
a  pad  covered  with  leather. 

In  connection  with  what  are  usually  known 


FOOTBALL  INJURIES  173 

as  minor  injuries  and  bruises,  the  athlete 
cannot  be  too  careful.  All  bruised  or  skinned 
places  should  be  cared  for  by  cleaning  them 
immediately  and  covering  them  with  a  clean 
gauze  bandage.  If  the  nose  is  skinned,  as  it 
frequently  is  in  a  scrimmage,  the  bruised  part 
should  be  cleaned  and  covered  with  zinc  oint- 
ment. The  athlete  should  take  the  addi- 
tional precaution  of  wearing  a  nose-guard  for  a 
few  days.  One  should  always  beware  of  knock- 
ing a  scab  off  because  it  is  sure  to  cause  a 
bad  sore  and  leave  a  scar.  For  the  same  rea- 
son all  sores  should  be  carefully  washed  and 
kept  free  of  dirt  and  other  foreign  matter. 
Many  a  case  of  blood-poisoning  is  due  to  care- 
lessness in  these  details. 

What  I  have  said  before  about  the  dangers 
of  overwork  applies  particularly  to  football. 
Inexperienced  and  ambitious  coaches  are  usu- 
ally responsible  for  this.  In  their  desire  to 
try  out  new  plays,  and  worried  by  the  fear  of 
losing  games,  they  forget  that  their  players 
are  human.  Most  football  teams  suffer  from 
too  much  rather  than  too  little  work.  Fur- 
thermore, nearly  all  injuries  are  received  to- 
ward the  end  of  practice  and  in  the  last  period 


174  ATHLETIC   TRAINING 

of  football  games,  at  a  time  when  the  play- 
ers are  physically  exhausted.  The  coaches 
should  remember  that  one  well  man  is  worth 
two  cripples. 


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